A Coruscant Courtship
by star-breaker990
Summary: OBIDALA!Obi-Wan and Padmé get caught in a *magical moment* on board the Naboo cruiser on the way to Coruscant. They run away with their emotions! Their love is discovered - but by who? Will they be able to face the future with their passionate past?
1. Chapter 1

The Jedi padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi stood before the de-activated astromech droids in the holding unit and sighed. He tossed his padawan braid off his shoulder impatiently and folded his arms. Everything was fine, nothing was untoward, and all the droids were perched in a row – completely stationary.

He leaned on the work surface, narrowly missing Jar-Jar Bink's big orange feet, and drummed his fingers impatiently. The tapping of his nails against the hard surface almost echoed throughout the whole hanger, and Jar-Jar's animated snoring was the most exciting event of the night so far.

That very day, his Jedi master, Qui-Gon Jinn, had returned from his two day stay within the 'villages' of Tatioone, Mos Espa, with the fumbling gungan - Jar-Jar, Queen Amidala's overly-keen handmaiden, and the latest recruit; Anakin Skywalker. But all Obi-Wan had done was hang around the ship to check up on the droids, try and fix the engine, and look after the Queen. He was proud to be part of such an important mission, and had the greatest respect for Qui-Gon, but he truly despised being left with the boring jobs all the time.

His thoughts strayed to Anakin; the "pathetic life-form" as Obi-Wan had described him. He bit his lip guilty, knowing that Anakin was only a little boy and that Qui-Gon had the best intentions at heart when he offered him the chance to become a Jedi. There was something, just a tiny _something_ that made him uncomfortable though. He could sense emotion and anger within him that his master could not.

Suddenly, he heard a beeping noise coming from the chamber that led off from the holding unit. He stood up straight and listened out for the noise again. He heard it once more, quieter than before, and strode towards the chamber entrance. Leaning his head around the wall, he peered into the darkness.

"Hello?" he whispered. When nobody replied, he slowly crept forward; almost certain he could sense a life-form in the room. "Is anyone there?" he asked, stiffening.

The beeping noise sounded again, loud and clear. _This is silly_, he thought to himself. _I'm sure it's only an astromech droid, but… where's the light?_ He swiftly turned on his heel and ran his hand over the wall, looking for a switch to turn a light on. He found one, and pressed it hard.

A single light in the corner of the room flickered on. His assumptions were confirmed, when an anxious droid became visible, rocking its metal dome with obvious worry.

"Oh, what are you doing here?" Obi-Wan asked it, feeling slightly foolish to be asking a utility droid questions, like it was a human. "I remember you, you're the R2-D2 droid that saved the ship the other day," he added, his memory jolting. The droid gave a low whistle, and its top span slowly to face the back wall where blue seating ran along it.

Obi-Wan tip-toed over to the seat, which resembled a ten-foot-long blue bench, and searched along it with narrow eyes. The lighting was appalling, but he didn't want to get his lightsaber out as a source of light in case he scared whatever or whoever was down there.

The droid gave another beep and whistle, sounding more alarmed than ever. Obi-Wan cleared his throat, and called out into the darkness. "Who's down there?" he asked, loudly and clearly. The silent reply made him feel uneasy.

His keen Jedi-instinct told him it was not an enemy, but he could not sense who it was. He reached for his utility belt, and pulled out a tiny metal tool. With a light tap, a piercing white light shone out of it. R2-D2 whistled and whirled in admiration, and switched his own light on, casting a blue ray over the back wall.

There was somebody there alright. He knocked off his torch, and marched over to the seats, where a distorted shape lay upon it. If Obi-Wan listened hard enough he could just hear its breathing. He leaned close to it, still trying to work out who or what it was. R2-D2 kept his light to help.

He reached out his arm, and touched what felt like it might be a shivering shoulder, when the figure jerked in shock. He backed away instantly, but the figure sat up and gasped. R2-D2 beeped in alarm.

"Who is that?!" came a female voice. Obi-Wan took a close look at the figure, and recognised her as one of the Queen's handmaidens – incidentally, the one who went out to Mos Espa. Her eyes darted around in the darkness, looking for whoever had disturbed her.

"Sorry," Obi-Wan replied, holding his hands up in the air, "I didn't mean to frighten you." The handmaiden eyed him cautiously, straightening her orange gown and lifting up her hood. He gingerly stepped closer to her, and she curled her legs up towards her.

"It's okay," she whispered, shakily, "You just gave me a fright, that's all." She pulled her hood further over her head, hiding her face to conceal her blushing cheeks. She sat up properly and bent her legs so that they she could wrap her arms around them and hold them.

It was freezing cold down in the chamber – even colder than the holding unit – and she was shivering violently, her teeth chattering loudly. Despite the all the floaty layers of fabric in her gown, they were only thin, and did not hold the heat well. Obi-Wan sensed her chilliness, and felt slightly guilty as he stood there in his multi-layered tunic and thick brown cloak.

"May I ask what you're doing down here, miss?" Obi-Wan queried, slightly confused as to why she had been curled up down in the loading bay when the warm handmaiden's quarters were higher up in the cruiser. She looked to the floor, and did not reply at first.

"Oh, well…R2 needed cleaning up again. I was in the middle of scrubbing him down, and the hologram message of governor Sio Bibble showed up…I couldn't help but watch it over…but then I saw poor Anakin shivering, so I went to get him some blankets." her voice trailed off, hoping that she hadn't said too much.

Obi-Wan gave a soft laugh. "Well, it looks like you ran out for yourself," he replied. The handmaiden looked at him and he paused. "Blankets, I mean," he added.

"Oh," she barely whispered. She watched Obi-Wan briefly leave the room and rummage around a compartment behind the wall. She craned her neck, but she couldn't see. R2-D2 gave a low whistle.

Finally, he reappeared, holding a soft bundle in one of his arms. "Here," he said, tossing it to his new handmaiden friend.

"Oh! No, you didn't have to…" her voice trailed off. He had found her some more blankets. She was touched by his notion of kindness, but she was unable to express any gratitude because her head was hurting after laying on search an uncomfortable surface in such freezing cold conditions.

He perched the left of her on the seating, and looked curiously at her. "Why aren't you up in the handmaidens' quarters?" he asked, "I expect it's warmer up there than it is down here." He looked around the chamber, taking in the dark empty walls and the droid hatch in the corner that led to the air lock on top of the ship, and even he shuddered.

"I must've fallen asleep and lost track of time," she replied, still shivering. Her teeth gave a final chatter, before she unfolded a blanket and draped it over her, pulling it up to her chin. For a few seconds they both sat silently – even R2-D2 ceased his beeping. She looked back at the Jedi to her right. "You're Obi-Wan Kenobi," she said.

He turned his head to face her and smiled. "Mm-hm," Obi-Wan replied, "and you're Padmé." She smiled back at him, her cheeks delightfully flushing pink on hearing her name leave Obi-Wan's lips.

"How did you remember that?" she asked, unfolding the second blanket and arranging it over her legs.

"You were mentioned in the on-board briefing when we landed on Tatioone – you went to Mos Espa with my master and Jar-Jar," he said. R2-D2 beeped proudly to the right of them both. "And R2," he added, suppressing a grin. Padmé laughed. "What made you want to go? I don't doubt that you can take care of yourself, but a derelict space-port isn't quite what I pictured to be a handmaiden's ideal surroundings."

"Her highness wanted me to explore the planet – she trusts me to tell her my findings, and it's all for her own safety," she quickly added. Obi-Wan nodded, but didn't pursue the matter further- she wouldn't want to hear him sit and complain about how he wanted to go, since she was right when she said it was all for the queen's safety. He suddenly felt over-come with guilt for ever thinking of her as overly-keen or too eager.

The three of them fell silent again, but the atmosphere was certainly warmer and more comfortable than before. In truth, Padmé had been pining for some human company for hours since the morning when she had been left to take care of the droids, and the pilots and guards were not exactly in the mood for chit-chat.

Obi-Wan watched her for a moment, as she gazed out of the window behind her out to the stars. As they were in hyperspace, the scene beyond the window was very repetitive and not really engaging to somebody who travelled space regularly; but Padmé looked out to it as if it was a completely new world. As he watched her, he felt an indescribable smile creep onto his face, but he could not think why.

She sighed and shivered slightly. "You aren't still cold, are you?" he asked her, more seriously this time. She looked to his face, his blue eyes still bright and intense even in the poor light, and shook her head.

"No," she breathed, "just tired." She yawned and shuffled so that her knees were not so bent. Her top blanket got kicked onto Obi-Wan's lap, and he tucked it away back over her foot. She had to fight a sudden rush of giggles. R2-D2 merely whistled cheerfully.

They both smiled at the droid, and then at each other. Obi-Wan sensed that the Force was strong between them; he felt an unexplainable bond between the two of them, almost as if the Force was telling him she was special. He looked into her eyes, as if searching for a clue as to what the Force was telling him, but he couldn't really concentrate when she was looking back at him with those soft, shiny brown eyes.

"What's the matter?" she whispered, leaning closer to examine him. Obi-Wan held his hand to his head, and then shook it.

"I'm fine," he replied. He put his hand back down on the seat, but accidentally laid it on top of Padmé's. He jerked it off, both of them pretending not to notice. They lost eye contact yet again, and R2-D2 beeped impatiently at them. They both looked at him, almost in surprise, and then smirked at each other.

"I must say, it was very brave of you and Master Jinn to save us the way you did on Naboo-jumping down out of nowhere and knocking all those droids down," Padmé said, laughing as she recollected the incident. "I was – well – my _queen_ was most grateful for your actions…" She heard her voice go quiet under Obi-Wan's gaze – he looked so serious and meaningful. "Well, yes actually, I suppose _I was_ grateful too," she smiled.

Obi-Wan smiled back, and Padmé felt her temperature rise, desperately wanting to melt. In truth, she had developed a slight crush on Obi-Wan, though she had denied it up until now. Any form of love would completely ruin the tight schedule everyone on board had to follow, and she was certainly not wild enough to risk getting tangled up in the realms of romance – especially not with a Jedi who was probably too old for her anyway. She knew full well it was a custom for royalty to marry partners older than themselves – her father was eight years older than her mother - but she thought that until she could confirm that it was _love_ and not her hormones talking; eleven years might be pushing it.

Yet behind her teenage physique, Padmé was a strong young woman. It was common for the young girls of Naboo to emotionally mature to by the age of sixteen anyway, so she could finally pull off being a proper young lady, and not just a little girl anymore. She didn't want to grow up too fast – she still felt young at heart – but she was proud and willing to take up all her responsibilities as a young woman now that she was queen.

Obi-Wan had already sensed her maturity and strength. He had no idea about the 'Queen of Naboo' title, but he knew in his heart that there was more to her than met the eye, despite her initial youth.

From the very first moment he laid eyes on her, he had noticed her obvious beauty – even behind the handmaiden hood. The Queen and the other handmaidens were all grand and glamorous, but he had to admit – she had stood out.

It was the Force again, drawing him to her, and visa versa. Hew _knew_ there was a significance to it all, but with his senses being slightly less attuned than his master's he could only assume things would become clear in the future. Even once he and Qui-Gon had discovered the mystery behind the Trade Federation's movement and settled the Queen back at Theed on Naboo; he felt, deep down within him, that he would see her again.

The whole complicated wave of thought had awakened something within him he had never felt before, and he suddenly felt as is this was the last chance he'd get to properly see and talk to her again – or at least for a very long time. He had to fight the incredibly powerful urge to take her in his arms and hold her close to him like she was the most precious girl in the galaxy. He had never experienced anything like that before at all; it didn't unnerve him, it simply made him wonder what the future really had in store for them.

However, he abandoned his thoughts for the moment, for Padmé was looking right into his eyes, looking rather concerned.

"You look troubled," she whispered, jet-black lashes fluttering around her dark eyes, which were so full of worry for him.

He smiled at her, shaking off his irrational emotions. "I'm fine – it's just cold down here, that's all," he replied quietly. She gave a light laugh in response, lifted the second blanket from over her legs and tossed it over him. But when it landed on his head, she let out such a shrill laugh that it echoed all the way through the droid holding unit.

She clasped a hand to her mouth, looking shocked that such a noise could ever come out of her. "Gosh, I haven't laughed like that for a long time," she gasped, clutching her chest. R2-D2 beeped indignantly at her, but Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle.

"It wasn't _that_ funny," he laughed, straightening out and rearranging the blanket over his lap. Padmé simply giggled and beamed at him.

"It was funnier because you just sat there for, like, three seconds without even responding or taking it off your head! You just sat there," she replied, neatening it around the edge closest to her. He felt her hand brush his leg, but stayed still. She looked up to him again to see him smiling, but she could still sense that he had something pressing on his mind.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she whispered, barely even audible after the loudness of her laughing before. He began to nod, but before he could properly reply, he felt Padmé's hand find Obi-Wan's hand, and lightly touch it. He saw her looking just as surprised as him, like she couldn't really stop it, but she did not hasten to remove it.

"Sorry, Obi-Wan," she began, feeling flustered and suddenly light-headed. But Obi-Wan took hold of it and held it in place with his free hand before she could move it away.

"Don't be," he whispered softly. Padmé simply gazed at him, unable to tear her eyes away from his. She was suspended in a strange but beautiful moment of magic, and didn't dare to escape.

It was as though the young man before was hardly even a Jedi anymore, and she was no longer the secret Queen of Naboo – it was like they were both just people, seeing into the depths of each other's very hearts and souls at a single glance. She was not scared, but entranced; wondering what in space the fickle dealings of Fate had in store for them.

Obi-Wan felt himself falling deeper, second by second, into the intoxicating atmosphere surrounding them, and was worried that he would lose control of himself. It was as if magic, or the Force, or maybe something even more special, was pulsing through the air and capturing him as it went. He and Padmé could have been the only people on board – maybe even the only life-forms in the galaxy – but it didn't matter – just as long as the two of them stayed together, joined hand in hand.

He continued to look deep into Padmé's eyes, not even blinking. If she dared to look away, she could shatter the entire bond they shared and never find it again. But she felt her eyes wanting to stray from his eyes to his lips, and before she could stop her imagination, she wondered what it would be like to feel them on hers. She could have sworn they were getting closer.

They certainly were coming closer; slowly and carefully. But Padmé did not back away; instead she tilted her head towards Obi-Wan. R2-D2 whistled with wonder, but rather than running off, he stayed and switched the light off at the controls.

Apart from the droid, it was only Obi-Wan and Padmé, sitting close to each other in the dark, with no other light source except for the dim glow from the droid holding unit, and the shimmering stars out in space. R2-D2 gave a final beep, before slowly turning its dome and scooting away up to the holding unit to live them with some privacy and check everything was quiet – for just an astromech droid, he was certainly thoughtful.

He could have been the most thoughtful, intelligent utility droid in the galaxy – Obi-Wan and Padmé barely noticed him leave. All Padmé cared about was that Obi-Wan's face was barely two inches from hers.

Maybe she should have backed away and apologised; perhaps she should have pushed him away and ran for the Queen's quarters; and maybe it would have been better if she'd never fallen asleep in the lower deck in the first place. But there was no turning back now – she was caught in a moment, and she was _not_ going to let it go.

Obi-Wan lightly touched Padmé's cheek. It was soft under his fingertips, and he brushed it with his hand as he lowered her hood. Padmé fed her arm through the sleeve of his robes and tunic and held onto his arm, suddenly worried that she would fall backwards. Their other hands were still clasped together, their fingers locked.

"Obi-Wan," she whispered, her eyes closed and her mouth so close to Obi-Wan's he could feel her breathing. "What are we doing?"

He simply looked at her, their eyes shining like never before, even in the darkness. "I have no idea," he replied, his eyes closed, barely even whispering.

Padmé couldn't help her mouth curling into a smile just for a second, and she leaned her head a fraction closer to Obi-Wan's. He swept a spiralling strand of hair from the side of her face and moved his face closer still, feeling his nose brush by hers. He didn't even pull her closer to him; they were so close, he simply came half an inch closer until he felt his lips gently touch hers.

The moment Obi-Wan kissed her, her heart skipped a beat and fluttered wildly beneath her chest. His hand was still touching the side of her head, and she felt him run his fingers through her hair. His arm was so warm under all the robes, and desperately wanted to be pulled closer to him.

He broke his lips apart from hers just for barely a moment, and Padmé gladly took a quick snatch of air, before he kissed her again. The feeling of his lips brushing so softly over hers was over-whelmingly wonderful, and loosened her hold of his hand and arm to wrap her arms around his neck.

He brought his arms around her waist, and kissed her more. Padmé felt light-headed and over-come with emotion, but she pulled him closer to her. She had nothing to lean back on but the wall and the window – but there was hardly going to be anyone on the other side of the window watching. Obi-Wan leaned against her, careful not to squash her, but she brought him closer still.

It was also innocent and loving, yet beautifully intimate. Padmé could feel Obi-Wan's warmth against her body, and kept hold of him, willing him to be pressed closer to her. Her back had already met the wall, and she was running out of air, but she could have died on the spot- she was already in heaven.

Their lips parted again. Padmé let out a breathless "Obi-Wan", but he pressed his lips back against Padmé's just before she could complete his name. He ran his lips from hers, across her cheek and to her neck. She could finally draw breath again, but it all felt so insanely beautiful to her freshly awoken senses that she could barely function enough to breathe normally.

A soft moan left her lips as he kissed he neck. Her skin was so smooth beneath his lips that he couldn't bare to lift then from it. For a split second he didn't dare explore lower than her neck, but she held his head to her, almost as if she wanted him to.

Padmé unhooked Obi-Wan's arms from his Jedi robes surprisingly easily; they had been getting in the way, and were just unnecessary layers of fabric cruelly separating her from him, and she tossed it behind them. She wanted to feel just him against her and nothing else. Her subconscious mind warned her it was just her hormones racing at light speed, but she didn't care – she was losing control of her conscious mind and loved every moment of it.

Obi-Wan's hands found the sash that kept Padmé's top layer of handmaiden robes fastened, and couldn't help but loosen it. She helped him along the way and bent her own arm behind her to pull them down.

Padmé felt her back slipping, and felt the wall and window pass behind her as she slid downwards with Obi-Wan kissing her all at the same time. Obi-Wan held her tightly so she couldn't fall, and eventually she felt her back lightly bump against the seating. She had already lain in that spot before that night, but it was a million times softer and comfier with Obi-Wan over her. She loosened her arms from around his neck and back, and ran her hands across his chest, willing his tunic to loosen.

Their lips had been separated for three seconds as she slid from the wall to the seats, but it was two and a half seconds too long. Obi-Wan tore his tunic off by himself, and leaned over Padmé, desperate to kiss her again. He carelessly kicked his heavy boots off and Padmé practically flung her handmaiden slippers off her feet. They clattered somewhere on the floor, but that was the least of their worries.

With her over-layer of robes, Padmé lay on the seats in a long terracotta dress with Obi-Wan over her. She could feel his bare skin on her, and stroked her hands across his back, feeling every slope of muscle and smooth skin. As he felt Padmé's hands travel over his skin, he pressed his torso closer to hers.

The two newly-realised lovers might have gotten further; they may have gotten completely carried away, or they may possibly have simply kissed the endless night away. But they had to tear themselves apart in panic.

They froze – Obi-Wan right over Padmé, the two of them tangled up in each other – and stared at the entrance to the chamber in mortal fear.

Footsteps were echoing, and they were coming louder.

Somebody was coming.

They'd get caught.

…

_And who ever it is wouldn't think this is a denied love evoked merely by an act of kindness_

…

_They'll think it's a catastrophic scandal_

…


	2. Chapter 2

The booming of urgent footsteps echoed around the hanger, and somewhere ahead of the droid holding unit a light had been switched on. Whoever it was - they were coming closer and closer by the second, and they sounded frantic.

Padmé recognised the buzz and beep of a com-link, and stiffened. Obi-Wan was still leaning over her, and they exchanged a look of terror. He began to slowly and silently sit up, hoping to reach and fling his tunic back on before the intruder revealed his or herself. They rose, not even daring to breathe.

But it was too late. The silhouette of a man in a hat stood out in the doorway and froze, dropping his com-link. He edged closer and removed his hat, but his expression was impossible to decipher. He leaned against the wall as if his legs couldn't carry him, pressed down on the light switch, and confirmed what could only be described the worst fear he never thought he would ever have.

Captain Panaka gave a strangled yell, and clutched the sides of his face, dragging his cheeks down. Padmé and Obi-Wan did not lose eye-contact with him, but the terror and worry multiplied the longer the captain stood there without forming proper words.

"What the - how the - what are you - you - and her - and him - were you - you were - _oh my god_!" Panaka stuttered, wildly pointing and waving at them.

By now Obi-Wan had sat up and grabbed his tunic. He reached for Padmé's orange robes and she gratefully snatched them and held them over her chest. She looked at Panaka's distraught expression and felt over-come with embarrassment. She did not feel guilty or ashamed; she was more flustered for being caught so under-dressed within Obi-Wan's embrace.

But more footsteps could be heard making their way to the three uneasy humans. They were lighter than Panaka's, but still sounded panicked. Padmé moaned when she vaguely recognised the voice to be one of her handmaiden's.

"Captain? Is everything alright?" she called, her voice muffled from all the echoing. "Have you found them, Capt--"

She gasped audibly and clutched her chest. Padmé's eyes widened as she took in their second unwanted guest. This was not just any handmaiden - it was Sabé - her queen decoy. "Your highness!" she cried. "Queen Amidala! Jedi Kenobi! What on earth are you--"

She smacked her other hand to her mouth, realising what she had just said. Panaka looked from Sabé, to Obi-Wan, to Padmé, absolutely horrified. Sabé smothered her face with her hands and broke down into a flood of hiccupping sobs. A distorted "forgive me, Your Highness!" could just be made out between her crying, but Obi-Wan didn't take it in.

He sat up and stared at Padmé. She looked to the floor, but she could sense his eyes on her. _She's...the Queen of Naboo?!_ he thought, the idea seeming ludicrous. _No..._ he thought.

But Padmé looked up at him, her eyes shining, and nodded. "You are Queen Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked faintly, the mere suggestion of it sounding even more outlandish as he said it aloud. Padmé looked away; she suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe.

Now _two_ secrets were out - two within the space of almost two minutes. _That must be some pitiful galactic record_, she thought to herself, holding the side of her head like she had a throbbing headache. Panaka was still emitting dog-like whines and howls in the background, but she couldn't hear him. Obi-Wan simply continued to gaze at her in utter disbelief.

"The Queen...the _Queen_...a Jedi and a Queen..." he cried, almost in tears like Sabé. "To think! If I had come barely three minutes later the pair of you might have...he could have...and then you'd be...oh," he sighed, rubbing his forehead and leaning against the wall. "We're in trouble."

Sabé was still crying quietly, and had was in dire need of a handkerchief. Padmé sat up and walked over to Sabé, her handmaiden robes flapping loosely. She gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sabé," she whispered, "I'm not angry with you. Please don't cry, it wasn't your fault. You were...caught off guard." She then looked at Panaka in an almost accusing way. "And what's this about '_we'_ being in trouble, Captain?"

Panaka gabbled and stammered again. "Pad-Your Highness," he began sternly, finally able to catch his breath, "I don't think you realise the seriousness of this situation. Not only are you the real Queen of Naboo," he glanced quickly at Sabé, "but you are guilty of going off with a Jedi - an _older_ one," he then through Obi-Wan a filthy look, "and giving yourself to him!" Padmé dropped her hand from Sabé shoulder and looked sadly at her captain. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but this is dangerous situation."

The three of them looked at each other, and then to Obi-Wan, who had been sitting on the seat looking disengaged, almost wounded. He glanced to see them all looking at him. "I don't know what to say," he said, feeling helpless and foolish. He had finally got his tunic on, and he walked over to Padmé. He looked into her eyes, ignoring Sabé and Panaka, and swallowed. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice breaking.

"I'm so sorry, Obi-Wan," she replied, her eyes stinging as she felt tears brimming. "I am the Queen Amidala of Naboo. Sabé has been my decoy - my protection - my loyal body-guard since this mission began." She touched his arm, and then ran her hand down it to hold his hand. "But I never planned for any of this to happen."

His eyes remained on hers, focusing intensely. "Would you have ever told me?" he croaked, his voice vanishing. "Would you have let us go so far and never let me know who you really were...who you are?" He blinked, startled that his eyes were prickling. He took a sharp breath in and took hold of her other hand, pulling her back into the hanger away from Sabé and Panaka. "I know we share something special, tonight was proof enough of that, and I don't want that to change...you're still Padmé to me."

Padmé felt a tiny tear roll down her face, but was not sure it was a tear of sorrow for ever lulling a Jedi into love, or a tear of joy for what he had just said. "Obi-Wan, I promise you, I am still Padmé...I'm just...a Queen of a planet too!" Obi-Wan felt a small laugh leave his lips, and Padmé smiled up at him. _I won't cry_, she thought, _I'll stay strong. I know we can get through this._

As if he knew what she was thinking, Obi-Wan wiped away the one tear that had fallen from her cheeks, and brought her head to his. They were just about to kiss, but a troubled captain pointedly cleared his throat and folded his arms. Obi-Wan gently nudged Padmé away from him, and together they walked over to where Sabé and Panaka stood.

"None of this must get out, captain," Padmé began. "Obi-Wan and I; my being Queen; the four of us in here during sleeping hours - five including R2-D2...it's all got to remain a secret."

"Our secret," Sabé added, and Padmé returned her with a firm nod.

R2-D2 rolled over and beeped enthusiastically. "We may need to do some work on R2," Padmé said, eyeing the droid before her. "The memory of witnessing all this may be stored in his memory - and should be security locked."

"Nobody says a word," said Obi-Wan, looking at Padmé.

They then looked to Panaka expectantly - R2-D2 included. He sighed heavily and put his hands on his hips, but he stepped closer. "I do not approve of lying to everyone - especially if we face any members of the Senate or Jedi council on this mission," he replied, giving Obi-Wan a fervid look of uncertainty.

"To lie is to look somebody in the eye and tell them something that isn't true," Obi-Wan replied. "We don't have to tell anybody anything; we'll simply say nothing." He knew it was still a form of deception, but they all say ignorance is bliss. He just hoped that if any of them were confronted by a Jedi they wouldn't be able to _sense_ them hiding a secret. But he had faith - the Jedi were not intrusive to people's minds, they were merely alert and ready.

"Okay then," Padmé concluded. "This is our little secret." She held her hands out before her as they stood in a circle. Obi-Wan and Sabé held their hands over Padmé's, and R2-D2 produced a rod from within his dome and held it level with their hands. Again, they looked to Panaka to seal their agreement.

He hesitated, then shut his eyes tight and grimaced, placing his hand gingerly over theirs. As the five of them stood there, united by their secret and their vow to keep it, Obi-Wan felt the Force surge within them.

He knew, despite their worries, that none of them would tell. He sensed that nobody would have said a word regardless - it was the kind of thing you kept to yourself without being prompted to do so.

Padmé looked to him and their eyes met. The only barrier left to face was the matter of Padmé and Obi-Wan being together. If they had to stow away on another planet, be it deep within the galaxy's core or beyond the outer rim territory, they would both go there.

But maybe they wouldn't need to go that far. Maybe they could stay safely where they were and nobody would know. Nobody _could_ know - for Padmé's royal position as well as their newly discovered love.

Their secret was locked away and safe

...

For now

...


	3. Chapter 3

Padmé did not sleep at all for the rest of that night. Even if she tried to shut her eyes they popped open excitedly. She kept having recollections of the earlier stages of the night, and encouraged them to keep coming, despite knowing how tired she would be in the morning.

There was no _real morning_ in space; you simply had to rely on your internal clock to wake you up at the right time. Padmé knew that by the time they reached Coruscant, it would be morning for that side of the planet. She sighed and turned over, clutching her duvet. She remember how it felt to hold onto Obi-Wan just as tight, and felt a rush emotion race through her.

_So this is what it's like to be in love_, she thought to herself, clutching her duvet tighter, _I never knew it could happen so quickly_. She sat up in her bed (which was by far less comfy than the one back home) and looked out the window to the stars. The ship was in cruise mode, since they were all ahead of schedule, so the stars flickered by slowly. Padmé could have been flying out there with them for all she knew; she had never felt so light and floaty. She smiled to herself and turned over. In love _and_ in space - trust Padmé to get into such a unique position.

Meanwhile, at the back of the sleeping quarters, Obi-Wan was sitting up and looking out the window to the stars on the other side of the ship. He was not admiring the view though - he only had thoughts for something much more wonderful - some_one_ more wonderful.

He simply could not get Padmé off his mind. The initial shock of finding out she was the Queen of Naboo had worn away, and in a way it all fitted in. Why else could the Force have guided her to him? Or maybe it was him that guided the Force to her...

He smiled to himself. Everything about her was indescribable; from the sound of her name is it left his lips to the touch of her skin under his. He just couldn't believe it had taken them this long to get a moment alone. Even though it had ended up with Padmé, Sabé, Panaka, R2-D2 and him all keeping secrets from the rest of the crew, including his own master, a tiny part of him could not deny that it was worth it. He had found something he never imagined he would in his wildest dreams - Jedi weren't even allowed to have wild dreams.

That was the only flaw in their relationship; Obi-Wan's position and potential as a Jedi Knight was now on the line. He knew it would be worth it, just to spend as much time with Padmé as he could, and get to know her even more than he already did. It was curious that that one first, short, sweet kiss could have revealed so much, like he could suddenly see deep into her soul. Obi-Wan could only liken it to the Force - the feeling they had both shared was so powerful in the way they were bonded, and he was so attuned to what it was telling him, he couldn't imagine it to be anthing else. Unless love really was the most powerful gift of all. He had never had the chance to find out. Until now.

Just that moment, Qui-Gon entered, looking relatively peaceful considering his Sith encounter earlier that day. He greeted Obi-Wan with a brief smile and joined him at the window.

"Everything is order," be began smoothly. "I don't sense any immediate danger for us now, but we'll have to be weary once we reach Coruscant. The moment we land the Queen will be sent away with Senator Palpatine to meet Chancellor Valorum to discuss the Trade Federation's movement against the planet. That will be our cue to take Anakin up to the Jedi temple. Where is the boy?" he asked, turning from the starry view to Obi-Wan's starry expression.

"He's in the main area of the ship, just next to the Queen's chamber and pilot deck," he answered, so calm he quite surprised himself. "The last time I saw him he was asleep."

Qui-Gon nodded, but before returning to the view he gave Obi-Wan a final side-ways look. "That would have been quite a while ago - the last time you saw him. I've been checking up on things with Ric Olie, the chief pilot, but I haven't heard anything from you." Obi-Wan swallowed hard, and tried his hardest to keep eye-contact with his master.

"It's all fine. Everything is fine," he replied, nodding perhaps a little too vigerously. The two of them continued to look at each other a moment longer. "I cannot sense any danger," Obi-Wan added, trusting that they could draw the matter to a close. Satisfied, Qui-Gon gave a curt nod and turned to look out the window. Obi-Wan sensed that like him, he was concentrating on more than just the magnificent view. But they saw outter space so often nowadays that this time they could afford to let their attention stray for the night.

It was only fifteen minutes later when Qui-Gon gave a small sigh and headed back for the pilot deck. He bade Obi-Wan a good night, before departing to leave Obi-Wan with his thoughts. Once he had left, Obi-Wan scanned the pilots and guards snoozing on the extendable sofa-beds. He wondered why he wasn't tired yet after all the excitement, but he knew that even after he had laid his head down he would still not sleep. There was only one person on his mind - Padmé.

Obi-Wan spent the rest of the voyage sitting on the window ledge looking out to the stars. He barely noticed when the cruiser broke through Coruscant's atmosphere, but had no choice other than to get up and join Qui-Gon as they saw everybody off the ship safely.

The final few people to depart the ship were a few palace guards that were picked up back in Theed, who had closely followed Padmé Amidala off the ship. Obi-Wan only just managed to keep a straight face as she glided past them, looking elegant in a grand beaded gown, but he was certain that beneath the white make-up she sent him a quick smile. He could only blink in response, but Padmé understood. Sabé was by her side, and snaffled him a wink as they went past.

Captain Panaka had been of the first men off board; he gave Obi-Wan the brief combination of a disapproving but knowing look, before standing up straight to await the Queen. Qui-Gon had apparently not suspected a thing, but knowing Qui-Gon he would probably save any personal enquiries for later - it was always easier and calmer that way.

Once the main bulk of passengers were safely on the landing platform, pilot Ric Olie and a handful of Naboo pilots stayed on board to guard the ship until the platform was cleared so that they could park the ship without the worry of squashing any innocent passers by - especially with the Chancellor himself standing around!

Obi-Wan stood and watched by Qui-Gon's side as Padmé was introduced with the Chancellor, before being whisked away by Senator Palpatine with her handmaidens and Panaka. A few guards followed behind - including Anakin. He wondered whether it was because Qui-Gon wanted him out of harms way while he interrogated the Jedi Council about training him. He was just as well known for being just as stubborn as he was for brave and wise, so Obi-Wan hoped that Master Yoda and Master Mace Windu were in the mood for some heavy conversation.

He listened closely as Qui-Gon requested to meet up with some officials with Valorum; he said something about the situation becoming 'more complicated', but automatically assumed he was referring to the Sith he had fought with on Tatioone. He was far too well aware that meeting Anakin had not been on the agenda, but he failed to see how _that_ could be the complication they were up against.

He sighed as he followed Qui-Gon and Valorum with a group of more politicians. The thought of being caught up in all the twisted politics and policies that echoed off the cold stone walls of every Coruscant building made him shudder and grimace, and he did not whole-heartedly trust everyone that he met. Apart from the heartless Neimoidians of the Trade Federation, he sometimes worried that half the time it was the humans that caused all the hate and upset in the galaxy above any other life-form.

Obi-Wan was only half concentrating on the trip to the Jedi tower with Qui-Gon. His mind was on Padmé; where she was and what she was doing whilst they were both on the same planet. But once they reached the Jedi Council Chambers, he had no option but to draw up his full focus on the situation at hand.

Qui-Gon told them all the story of his attack from the Sith on Tatioone, and how he was sure he was after the Queen. The Jedi council members all exchanged uneasy looks at the idea of the Sith returning. Mace Windu piped up.

"I do not believe the Sith could return without us knowing," he said sceptically. Some of the Jedi masters shuffled in their seats, and Yoda twitched his ears thoughtfully. The dark side of the Force was hard to see for the Jedi, no matter how skilled they were. For a while they sat and calmly contemplated the situation, and came to the solid conclusion that they should stay and protect Queen Amidala. Obi-Wan's heart soared at the thought of staying with her longer; the thought of _how long_ he would have left was not on his mind.

He bowed along side with his master, and then turned to exit through the doors. But when he did not hear Qui-Gon's footsteps follow, he turned and folded his arms together. _Not again_, he thought.

"Master Qui-Gon - more to say, have you?" said Yoda, raising his fuzzy eyebrows. Qui-Gon then launched into the tale of how he discovered Anakin, and how he believed he was the chosen one. Again, the council members exchanged curious glances, and looked at him almost in amazement.

"You refer to the one who will bring balance to the Force..." Mace began, "...you believe it's this boy?" He gave Qui-Gon a long look, which he returned confidently.

"I don't presume-" he began, hoping to return to his findings; but Yoda cut him short.

"But you do," he interrupted, raising a knowing green finger. "Revealed, your opinion is!" The little green Jedi considered Qui-Gon, feeling that he was being dangerously reckless with his decisions.

Qui-Gon paused to take a breath and weigh his words in his head, then looked back to the less than enthusiastic council members. "I request the boy be tested, Master," he said carefully.

Yoda's sensitive, long ears twitched again, and rose. "Oh, trained as a _Jedi_ you request for him...?"

_This is getting silly_, Obi-Wan thought. He had so much respect for every person within the room, but it troubled him to watch them struggle so hard to come to an agreement - Qui-Gon was so stubborn! Maybe when he hopefully became the Jedi master to his own young padawan learner he would understand better. He continued to stand and watch; eventually Master Windu and Yoda came to a settlement where Anakin could be tested.

Satisfied for the moment, Qui-Gon gave a gracious bow, before leading Obi-Wan out of the room with him, ignoring the weary looks he sensed coming from behind him. When they were finally out of the room, Obi-Wan heaved a humungous sigh of relief.

"Master! You only just scraped through that one," he began, shaking his head. Qui-Gon merely smiled at him, but said nothing. He needed to find Anakin as soon as he could, so he left Obi-Wan to take a break and meditate in the Jedi temple whilst he set out to find him. He was grateful for this free time to himself

...

And he knew exactly how it was going to be spent

...

Thinking about Padmé

...


	4. Chapter 4

Else where on the hectic planet of Coruscant, it was early evening as Padmé Amidala paced across the floor of Senator Palpatine's quarters, riddled with nerves. Any moment she would be called down to Galactic Senate arena to get reinforcement in the blockade. Everyone would be there, all the parties, and her stomach was knotted with anxieties - what if the situation could not be resolved quick enough?

Palpatine had seemed doubtful of Valorum's real power earlier; he had encouraged her to call for a vote of no confidence in Valorum's leadership. But he had been one of Naboo's strongest supporters in the past, and it would feel like betrayal. _Unless he betrays _me_ when the time comes_, she thought sadly, hoping that situation would not occur.

Eventually, she was in the arena and on a platform with Palpatine and Panaka. Palpatine sat there, surprisingly calmly and smiling to himself, but Panaka gave her a reassuring nod and brief hand on the shoulder (careful not to her dress decorations) before sitting behind her.

The platform resembled more of a hovering silver pod with seats going around. It gave a jolt, then dipped smoothly and flew directly opposite the pillar where Chancellor Valorum and his senate aides and advisors sat. As the rest of the representatives stayed in their pods against the curving circular walls of the arena, they sat and watched Padmé with narrow eyes as she took a deep breath in.

Palpatine stepped forward first, and explained the situation with the Naboo blockade and the Trade Federation. She wondered whether he had rehearsed the accusing tone which he threw at the representatives, or whether he was simply extremely experienced. He ignored the "I objects" that had already started with a glimmer of bitter amusement in his eye, and then introduced Padmé as Queen Amidala of Naboo to speak in their behalf, and Valorum recognised her and approved. She stood up and stood before him.

"Honourable representatives of the Republic," she began, keeping her voice steady and serious, "I come to you under the gravest of circumstances." There was a ripple of muttering from across the arena, but she continued to speak on and remain on track. She took another breath, and drew herself upwards. "The Naboo system has been invaded by the droid armies of the Trade--"

"_I object!_" came an outraged bawl from behind her. The Trade Federation delegate - yet another grubby-look Neimoidian - had flown right next to her, arguing angrily. Padmé felt her heart beat faster under her heavy red and gold dress; she had not even explained the situation and they were already defensive and outspoken. To her, that was proof they were guilty. But they continued to rant on, making wild requests for a commission to be sent to Naboo to discover "the truth". Her blood pulsed faster through her veins at the thought - never did not even _believe_ her. She was even more cross and upset when the Congress of Malastare agreed! Surely Chancellor Valorum would put a stop any commissions?

As Valorum quietly whispered amongst his advisors, Padmé stood with baited breath. Palpatine leaned closely to her. "Enter the bureaucrat," he whispered softly, "the true rulers of the Republic." Padmé didn't even turn to face him. "On the payroll of the Trade Federation, I might add," he continued. This was what he had meant earlier, when he said the Chancellor's strength would vanish. She had only prayed that would not be the case. It simply couldn't happen - not now after they had come so far and escaped near death just to arrive on the very planet to resolve the problem.

But her worst fears were realised. After a long moment of tensley waiting, Valorum faced her. "The point is conceded," he began solemnly. "Will you defer your motion to allow a commision to explore the validity of your accusations?" he asked, as if he was simply asking her if she wanted a cup of tea - weak, two sugars and a drop of betrayal.

"I will not defer!" Padmé replied furiously. "I have come before you to resolve this attack on our sovereignty _now_!" She surprised herself, hearing her voice suddenly belt out so strongly and authoritive like that and echo back. Again, shuffling and muttering rushed through the arena. Encouraged, she went on. "I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee!" The arena silenced, and she went on. "If this body is not capable of action, I suggest new leadership is needed," she continued slowly.

Palpatine looked up, his eyes suddenly alive. The representatives of the arena sat tensely, suddenly aware of what was coming next, some of them silently daring her to even say it. She gave a soft sigh. _Here goes nothing_, she thought to herself with a twinge of sadness. "I move for a vote of no confidence...in Chancellor Valorum's leadership."

The silence in the arena turned from shock, to outrage, to sudden agreement. The roaring and shouting seemed to clear, and Padmé could now clearly hear the crowds chant "Vote now!" repeatedly, and Valorum sat back in shock. Padmé had caught him off-guard - and won?

She had done as Palpatine had advised - now hopefully a new, stronger chancellor would be elected. One who would not let their tragedy continue.

Later on, long after she had left the Senate arena and watched the vast representatives and a shaken ex-chancellor exit, she sat in Palpatine's quarters and looked out of the window. So much had happened over twenty-four hours that she felt dizzy. Palpatine had been one of three nominees for the new Chancellor. She could tell he was thrilled, and she knew he had high hopes for the Republic, but she desperately missed Naboo, and knew she had to return there, with Obi-Wan by her side.

The thought of him seemed to calm her frazzled nerves. She wondered what he was doing right now. She wondered if maybe he was thinking about her. Maybe she was not skilled at all in using the Force, but perhaps if she focused strongly enough on him in her mind, he would hear her. She closed her eyes and focused hard on him, trying her best to clear her mind.

But her concentration and inner-clarity was interrupted, when the doors behind her swung open. "Your Highness," came the voice of Sabé. Padmé turned around on the sofa to face her. Sabé performed a quick curtsey, before gingerly sitting down next to her queen. "How are you?" she asked, not quite able to read her expression through the white face paint. The two of them looked at each other, their eyes full of concern, but for two different reasons.

"I'm as okay as I'll ever be," Padmé replied, managing a smile. Sabé returned her with one, but placed a worried hand on her shoulder, careful not to knock any of her head decoration.

The handmaiden bit her lip, looking guilty. "Your Highness," she began slowly, "I still cannot apologise enough for letting slip your identity back on the ship. It was incredibly careless of me, and I am so, so sorry." Padmé took a hold of her hand.

"Sabé, please, don't torment yourself over it. It was a complete accident - you were in shock. And it was only Obi-Wan, Captain Panaka and R2-D2 who heard anyway - we can trust them," she replied firmly. Sabé nodded her head, and sat up.

She smoothed down her dress robes and gave a bow of the head. "Well," she said, "I'll leave you in peace." With another bow, she turned and left the room to leave Padmé alone in the room with her thoughts.

Padmé sat on and gazed out over Coruscant for about over an hour, recollecting everything that had happened. Although the she would never exchange the landscape of Naboo for the city-scape of Coruscant, the soft pink glow cast over the angular buildings as evening set in seen to help calm her. She knew that there was one person out there who could take away all her worries with just a smile, but he was not there with her, not even in the same building. Obi-Wan would be in the Jedi temple with Qui-Gon and Anakin, with issues just as big as hers to resolve. She hoped he was able to sort out his better than she could sort hers.

Meanwhile, only a few rooms down the ruby red corridor, Sabé was perched by the balcony window waiting for someone. She sat nibbling her nails, crossed and uncrossed her legs, and frequently glanced from the window to the door.

As she turned to face the window again, not even bothering to focus on the fantastic view, a button was heard being pressed. Sabé's head jerked to face the door, and her eyes widened. The doors slid open, and Panaka was stood there, holding his hat in his hand and looking grave.

"Panaka!" she gasped, leaping off her seat and scuttling towards him frantically. He strode towards her, his expression grim.

"This had better be important, Sabé," he said, his tone slightly impatient. His whole manner and stance was impatient; he had not had a chance to relax since the whole blockade had begun.

She nodded her head vigorously. "Panaka, I'm not sure if we can do this," she replied. "I don't mean that I don't want to, I want to get through this _so_ much for everyone's sake, but I don't think I can take it." She looked up into Panaka's shiny black eyes, searching them for some kind of warmth or understanding. But he only looked confused. "Can you do it? Can you honestly stand there in front of the honourable members of the Senate and tell them the Queen is coping without distraction?"

Panaka's narrowed eyes began to widen. He finally realised she was talking about the secret of Padmé and Obi-Wan, and relaxed his shoulders. "Sabé," he sighed, "we don't have a choice."

"Did you alter R2-D2's memory chip?" she asked.

"Yes; it's scanned and it's locked. Nobody can access any secret information, he'll only answer to one of us," he replied.

Sabé breathed a sigh of relief, and sank back down to her seat, resting her head in her hands. Panaka crouched down so that he was at eye-level with her, and carefully put a hand on her shoulder. "Sabé," be began, trying his best to get in touch with his softer side. "I know this is hard for you, and I know that you aren't really that experienced in--"

"It's not that!" she cried, her voice wavering. "I'm just worried that one of us will crack and spill everything." They both looked up as the floor suddenly creaked outside. They couldn't see or hear anyone through the glass door, but they lowered their voices even so. "I'm scared for all of us," she hissed, holding her head in her hands. "It's not just Queen Amidala and Jedi Kenobi's secret we're keeping, it's the Queen's true identity we're keeping." Her voice finally cracked, and her hazel eyes welled with tears.

Panaka stood back, looking surprised and embarrassed. "Shall leave you to...yourself?" he asked helplessly, backing away and aiming to put his hat back on. Sabé stood up and rushed towards him.

She grabbed his arm sleeves and tugged them. "No! No, I'm sick of sitting in silence all the time! I need to talk to someone...anyone..." her desperate voice trailed off to barely a whisper and a small, sad tear trickled down her cheek.

Panaka was an experienced guard; he had faced many dilemmas and crises in his time, often fighting them surrounded by fellow troops and with a laser gun in his hand; but standing before a crying young woman on his own in a room was by far the most nerve-racking and unpredictable scenario he had been in all his life. He sighed, feeling awkward and helpless.

A shuffling sounded from outside the corridor, but neither of them could hear other Sabé crying. "Sabé, please," Panaka whispered, completely clueless as to how he should react. "You aren't doing anyone any favours by crying, you're making it worse." He grimaced after he spoke; realising that what he had hoped to have been words of support sounded more like an accusation. Sabé threw him a combined look of despair, shock and hurt.

"Well what am I supposed to do?!" she bawled, suddenly outraged as well as upset. "What on the planet do you think I've just been telling you? _I can't take it_!" she yelled. Panaka frantically 'shushed' and flapped his hands, but she didn't care - she was going crazy! She sobbed and screamed, making no sense what so ever.

"Sabé!" he moaned, trying to hold her arms and stop her waving them around. He was genuinely terrified, and did not have the foggiest idea what to do. He put both hands on her shoulders, but she tried to shake him off. More firmly, he gripped her upper arms, and gave her a shake, trying his best to look her right in the watering eyes. "Stop it! Stop it _right now_," he shouted.

Sabé stuttered and gabbled, taken by surprised by the force of Panaka's reaction. Her eyes circled around the room multiple times, and she tried to flap her arms by her side again, so Panaka shook her again - harder. "_Sabé_!"

She shook her head, as if suddenly awoken from a trance, and stared right into Panaka's eyes. Her breathe was uneven, and her brow was sweaty. She was no longer crying, but she had tear stains on her cheeks. Panaka slowly shook his own head this time - in utter disbelief. "Sabé...you really are a special case."

Sabé could not fight an unmistakable smile from emerging on her face. "I'm sorry, Panaka," she gasped. She let him release her arms, but she instinctively reached out for his hands. He looked down as her hands enveloped his. "I think part of my problem is you."

Panaka's head jerked to face her, suddenly shocked. "What do you mean?" he asked hoarsely, though he wondered whether he already knew the fearful answer.

Her smile faded, but she looked at firmly, a burning emotion suddenly alive in her eyes. _Uh oh_, Panaka thought.

"Your presence strengthens me...but weakens me at the same time," she whispered. Panaka looked helplessly at her, and gulped. He couldn't even run; his feet were cemented to the spot. "Captain Panaka, you leave me breathless."

It was as if time had frozen. Panaka swallowed. "Well, what can I say?" he replied, his head running on auto-pilot. "It's a gift."

"Well," she whispered, her face shining and glowing, "here's a gift from me to you." She took a hold of his face, stood right up on her tip-toes, and planted a great kiss on Panaka's lips, drawing his breath away.

Meanwhile, just outside the room by the door, a figure stood listening intently. He could now hear nothing but the captain's hat drop to the floor; a sofa creak; and the metal shield slide across the glass door, blocking out any intruders.

"Captain Panaka! Captain!" came the voice of a Naboo guard. The guard paced along the corridor, scanning every room. As he neared the room where Sabé and Panaka resided, he saw the shadow of the figure. "Excuse me," the guard called out, as the figure soaked into the darkness down the corridor. "Hello?" the guard called again.

But there was nobody there. Nothing or no-one, except the back of Senator Palpatine walking down the corridor towards his office. The guard narrowed his eyes, not remembering seeing the Senator walk past him. He shook his head, and headed the opposite way down the corridor.

_Weak-minded fool_, Palpatine thought, as he sat behind his desk. He pushed a big red button on the desk, and the hologram of a blue Neimoidian shone. "Connect me to the head Trade Federation persons, if you please," he said, his voice shaking with glee. "I have some important news about Queen Amidala of Naboo...news which I expect will affect her position as Queen..."

A deathly evil smile broke on the senator's face. He pulled the hood of his cloak up over his face, and stood up. "This news also affects the young Jedi knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I should think his future as a Jedi will be crippled on the spot."

...

"Yes, Lord Sidious," came a crackly reply, "I am listening."

...

"Perfect," Palpatine whispered

...


	5. Chapter 5

"Your Highness! Finally!" a frantic Naboo guard cried. Padmé flipped down her mobile com-link and quickly switched off her hologram message from Obi-Wan and then turned on her heel to face the guard, not entirely tuned in to the rest of the world. But his startling red cheeks and spluttering panting engaged her attention. He just managed a bow, and stood up straight.

"I would not normally trouble you, Your Highness," he began, with a hand on his heaving chest, "but I thought I had best let you know that it seems Captain Panaka has vanished from the building - we cannot find him anywhere." He watched her turn to face the window and bite her lip. "I'm sorry to say that it appears your handmaiden Sabé is missing also."

Padmé looked at him again, her heart thudding. _Both of them?_ she thought anxiously. "Did they go missing at the same time?" she asked him, unable to disguise the worry in her voice. If they had both disappeared at the same time there was the terrible possibility that they were taken together and questioned. But if they both vanished at different times, then why didn't they let anyone know? Questions flooded into Padmé's head, and she shook it fiercely, unsuccessfully wiping away her worries.

"Nobody knows, Your Highness," the guard replied, awkwardly twirling his hat with his fingers. "They were last seen over two hours ago." Padmé's eyes widened.

"And it's taken you this long to realise?!" she asked in disbelief, heading for Palpatine's office down the corridor - his front guards may have seen them. But the guard gingerly stepped in front of her and held a hand up to stop her in her tracks.

"I'm afraid the situation is even more serious, Your Highness," he continued. He took a deep breathe, and swallowed. "I am afraid you will have to come with me and some fellow Coruscant guards to the face the Senate again."

Padmé looked at him dubiously, taken back by the guard's forwardness. "What - at this time? It's practically midnight!" she replied, forgetting to keep up her regal manner. She watched three more guards enter the room, holding long heavy guns and wearing stern facial expressions. "This isn't about the Trade Federation's commission, is it?" she asked slowly. "And it is not related to the vote for the new Chancellor at all, is it?" She stood, frozen on the spot, as a robed, almost human member of the Senate strode into the room and looked gravely at her. "What is going on?" she whispered.

"Queen Amidala," the Senate member began, a trace of sadness in his voice, "I must ask you to come with me back to the Galactic Senate arena under police-guard supervision. You have been accused of having an illegal under-aged relationship with a certain Jedi knight, and the situation needs to be discussed before the Senate."

Padmé felt her heart go from rapid booming, to suddenly freezing and falling through her stomach. The Senate member stood in the doorway and continued. "The Jedi in question, Obi-Wan Kenobi, has been - or is soon to be - arrested. He will be awaiting a trial before the Jedi council." Padmé felt her mouth drop open.

"What?" she gasped silently.

"Follow me," the Senate member said curtly. The guards led Padmé, with noticeable force, out of the building and onto a shuttle straight to the Senate arena. She couldn't speak. She couldn't think straight. She couldn't _breathe_. She shoved several heavy hands off her shoulders as they trundled along.

She did not dare deny that she and Obi-Wan shared a love; not to the Senate or to Obi-Wan or even to herself. But she could not let accusations be thrown around about any 'under-aged relationship' when _nothing happened_. Nothing like _that_. And who in the whole galaxy even knew about it? She did not think that Sabé strained so much under pressure that she was suddenly a huge push-over. And she trusted Panaka with her life practically - surely he wouldn't have told anyone? That left only R2-D2; but his memory had been locked and was inaccessible.

Obi-Wan had not told - she knew that to be the absolute truth. So that left only one possibility; somebody or something must have over heard them. But who could have kept up such a facade for so long and then let rip right under her nose? Questions clouded her vision like a thick winter fog, and her breathing had become erratic like she could barely draw breath. She did not even notice when the shuttle drew up right in front of the galactic Senate building.

"Queen Amidala!" called a familiar voice from behind. She turned sadly, to see Senator Palpatine and two senate guards drawing closer. "Is everything alright, Your Highness?" he asked, his sharp blue eyes analysing her. Padmé barely managed to tilt her head, when the doors opened up to the senate building. "Your Highness, as the representative senator of Naboo I feel it is my duty to stay by you during this difficult time."

Padmé looked wearily at him with tired eyes. "How did you find out? Please don't tell me the story has spread across the planet already," she sighed, as they were guided inside.

Palpatine paused for a moment, and then a wry smile played about his aged face. "If I may say so, Your Highness, a foolish act such as the one you and Jedi Kenobi are tangled up in was not likely to remain within the walls of my apartment, was it?" He raised a fuzzy eyebrow in an almost mocking fashion, but Padmé chose to ignore it - she was not in the mood for arguing with the Senate as it was, and she certainly did not want tension to build between her own colleagues. "Let's just say, the Senate and the Jedi Council are well aware, and it probably will leak out _eventually_."

Not at all encouraged by these words of wisdom, Padmé and Palpatine walked side by side through the entrance doors and made their solemn way to the main arena. Nobody realised anybody else was missing until Palpatine looked at the empty on their platform and pointedly cleared his throat. "Am I right in assuming that Captain Panaka will not be here supporting you?" he asked. Padmé gave him a brief side-way glance, not entirely pleased by the way he phrased his question. "Dear, dear, we certainly are going down hill, aren't we?" He gave Padmé a final less-than-amused look, before spreading out on the back seat of the platform.

Barely within seconds of realising that the nervous queen had entered, the arena silenced and the lights dimmed all around - al apart from one bright white light shining down on Padmé's platform, so she was displayed for all the senators and representatives to see. Her breath stilled, as the platform slowly flew before the pillar were Valorum had stood earlier that very day. Only this time he was not there; his blue-skinned advisor was there, Mas Amedda, looking down at Padmé grimly, wearing a tall crown-like hat and clutching what looked like a thick folder. His own advisors sat behind him in the same grave fashion.

"Queen Amidala," Amedda began, his cold voice echoing in the deathly silent arena. "You have been found guilty of committing under-aged adultery with a Jedi Padawan on your journey from Naboo to Coruscant," he said deliberately loud enough for everybody to hear loud and clear. Padmé just stood and looked at him - he had already got that wrong - they were returning from Tatioone, not Naboo. He cleared his throat and went on. "The Jedi in question, Obi-Wan Kenobi, has already been charged and is temporarily suspended and imprisoned. Do you deny this, " he cleared his throat indignantly, "...affair?"

Padmé did not quite hear him; the haunting image of Obi-Wan standing behind prison bars on a cold Coruscant prison cell made her blood turn to ice and pulse intensely through her veins. A soft cough from Palpatine behind her quickly drew her back. "Do you deny it?" Amedda barked. The crowd murmured darkly.

"I do not deny that Jedi Kenobi and I have formed a bond that the Senate would disapprove of," she began, shakily but audibly, "but to call a mere 'affair' I feel is an insult to--"

"So you admit to breaking and violating a specific and strict law then?" Amedda persisted. His advisors leaned in their seats to fully see her painted face. She tried to conceal her worry and compose herself, but she could not help bite her lip ferociously. She had bitten it so hard she had drawn blood, but nobody would notice (_or care_ she thought sadly) with her red lipstick already there.

Palpatine then took this as his cue to stand up. "Permission to speak, Sir Mas Amedda," he spoke clearly. He gently nudged Padmé aside and stood at the front of the platform.

Amedda stiffened, but nodded. "Permission granted -the chair recognises Senator Palpatine, Naboo's representative," he said.

_Soon-to-be Chancellor, you mean_, Palpatine thought, before straightening up and facing Amedda and the intimidating crowds. He stayed there for most of the meeting, even though Padmé suspected it was really a biased trial organised by the Trade Federation than just a 'meeting'.

Her heart dropped to her stomach at the thought of the Trade Federation having known about them all this time. _How did anyone know?? _she thought to herself desperately. She wanted to scream the question out to the crowds and let out all her frustration by watching Amedda try and answer _that one_ with his precious rule book, but she knew they would not know who found out first - they would just be concerned with getting to the bottom of it. _And they would not admit to knowing straight up - right in front of me._

"So to conclude, Queen Amidala, you are willing to vow to cease this frivolous affair and get back to your royal duties - and move on from the incident without charges being pressed?" Amedda suddenly asked. Padmé blinked - he and Palpatine had been talking the whole time. She gave her head a quick shake to wake herself up.

"What of Jedi Kenobi?" she stammered, before she could stop herself. The crowds muttered, and one of Amedda's advisors rolled his four eyes in obvious disgust.

A dark smile grew on Amedda's blue face. "He is old enough to be sentenced. _You_, on the other hand, are to young to be imprisoned, therefore the most we can do is take away privileges and ensure you sign our treaty to ensure it _never happens again_." The word 'treaty' stirred something in her mind, and her thoughts came back to the Trade Federation. What if it was not just one treaty that needed signing? What if they only let her off providing she signed the Trade Federation's blockade treaty as well? Was she being blackmailed...?

"And if I don't sign the treaty?" she replied in a quiet, yet crystal clear voice. The crowds silenced, and Amedda leaned over the edge of his podium and bared a row of grey teeth.

"Then we shall have to sentence Jedi Kenobi with what would have been _your_ just punishment and prolong his suffering," he answered, so quietly that only Padmé, Palpatine and the advisors could hear. Padmé had pretty much been proven correct.

"That is something I will not allow to happen," she said, partly too herself. That seemed like the most appropriate way to call the senate assembly to a close, and Padmé's platform hovered to its original position against the back wall.

The senators and representatives left the arena in deep conversation, but Padmé only caught snatches of them as she left with Palpatine. They did not speak to each other once as they boarded the shuttle with the guards following behind them until they arrived back in Palpatine's apartment.

He slowly sat down on his deep red sofa and sighed. "Well, that was most enlightening," he said quietly. Padmé did not respond. She simply looked out over Coruscant through his window, which was now a mass of bright whirling lights on a barely visible black back-drop. "I wonder what happened to Captain Panaka?" he wondered, watching her as she stood helplessly in the centre of the room. She could only reply with a sigh.

"Senator, I bid you good night. If I may, I wish to retire to my own apartment," she said, and turned to head for the corridor leading to the apartment entrance doors. Palpatine saw her aiming for the exit, and stood up with great speed for a man his age.

He cleared his throat pointedly. "Well, feel free to stay in my guest suite until the morning, Your Majesty," he replied earnestly, having hoped that he could keep an eye on her. But she merely turned back to face him and looked at him with a touch of amusement.

"I have just been charged for having a supposed affair with a Jedi," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "I don't think stepping out of an _older senator's_ apartment early in the morning in the same clothes as I was wearing the night before will exactly improve my image, _will it_?"

Her voice almost shook with suppressed anger and emotion, and it took Palpatine aback. He looked startled for a moment, as if he was shocked to hear her make such a bold statement and was contemplating the scenario Padmé had just painted, and simply stood and watched her leave with two security guards. "Is my ship ready?" she asked the guard to her left without making eye-contact with him.

"Right this way, Your Highness," he replied, holding out an arm and allowing her through the doors. It only a short journey on foot to her Naboo cruiser; but as trooped across the landing platform, taking in the all the busy city lights, they neared it she noticed that the lights were all on inside the ship.

She stood outside the landing ramp, which had already been lowered, and watched the guards run up the ramp holding their pistols tightly. She did not have the energy to point out that they had no right to charge on to her ship, so she merely stood and glowered at them. But when yelps of surprise and pain suddenly sounded out from on board, she jumped and stepped nervously towards the ramp.

She looked up into the ship, but the light was too bright to make out any life-forms. "What's going on?" she called, praying the ship had not been bombarded by Trade Federation forces. She gritted her teeth and ran up the ramp, carefully to lift up her heavy embroidered skirt. "Hello?!" she called again, more frantically.

She turned and scanned the darker part of the ship to her left to no prevail. She span on her tip toes to her right, and gasped loudly. The two senate guards were being held firmly and bent forward, their mouths covered - one by a larger, leather gloved hand, and the other by a more delicate, pale pair. Padmé's eyes travelled up from the guards' looks of despair, to the eager and excited looks on the faces of their capturers. She gasped again, but laughed, as Panaka and Sabé grinned back at her.

"It's okay, Your Highness," Panaka smiled, "we believe we have the situation under control." The guard he was holding down wriggled and shuffled, but Panaka gave him a harsh jolt and he froze whimpering.

"And there's more news, Your Highness," Sabé added, her eyes alive with newly found hope, "We believe we have found a way for you to see Obi-Wan!" Padmé jumped in the air, despite the restrictiveness of her great regal gown, and ran towards them.

R2-D2 rolled up behind them, revealed a probe from within his dome, and poked it at Sabé's guard's arm, giving him a sharp electric shock. He whined, but Sabé was not going to let him go.

"Now close that ramp and let's get out of here!" Panaka grinned. Padmé punched the green button at the entrance and the ramp folded in. The metal doors slid shut with a bang, and the pilots that had stayed behind when they first landed on Coruscant poked their heads around the wall, one of them giving Panaka had hearty 'thumbs-up'.

The ship's engine rumbled and Padmé looked delightedly out of the window to see the illuminated landing platform whoosh further and further away until it was the size of her hand, and the ship sped off into space. "Don't worry," came the voice of Ric Olie, "we'll circle the perimeter and get some height - they won't be able to track us."

A woman, one of the pilots, came along and eyed the senate guards with a raised eyebrow. "What's going on with them now?" she asked, as they unsuccessfully struggled against Panaka and Sabé's strength. Panaka pushed his guard along and shoved into the droid air-lock. Sabé followed suit, and before the guards could run away, the door was sealed and they were trapped - squashed together and ramming their elbows into each other.

"That should hold them," said Panaka, dusting and clapping his hands together. Sabé laughed and looped her arm around his. "And if they dare to move or press any buttons, they'll activate the air-lock and get sucked up into space," he added, grimly and yet satisfied. "Shame really, seeing as Senator Palpatine would have told them they did a good job."

Padmé turned her attention from the frantically jittery guards in the air-lock to Panaka. "What do you mean?" she asked, not noticing Sabé hanging gleefully onto him.

"Your Highness, we have firm reason to believe Palpatine was the one behind the truth leaking out about you and Obi-Wan Kenobi," he replied, the smile on his face fading slightly.

"What?! How?" Padmé gasped. Sabé took a step forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We were lucky enough to over-hear him talking with Trade Federation delegates," she replied. "He knows nothing about your true identity as far as we're aware," she briefly exchanged a firm glance with Panaka, "but we heard him tell them all about you - a 'filthy, sordid little affair', he called it." She looked from Padmé back to Panaka, who nodded formidably.

Padmé blinked at them both. "Wait, how did you hear all this?" she asked; the sudden over-dose of information making her a tad light-headed. "I thought you both went missing - beyond Palpatine's apartment. At least, that was the impression is guards were under."

Sabé and Panaka looked at each other, and smirked sheepishly. "We got..." Sabé began, twiddling her fingers.

"...locked in one of his meeting rooms," Panaka added quickly. "Yeah, we kind of got - well - _distracted_, shall we say. We didn't notice the door lock from the outside. It was just lucky that there was another door leading out in the corner of the wall - it was even luckier that it lead to his main quarters." Sabé nodded earnestly by his side. Padmé raised an eyebrow.

"Well what on earth were you both doing to have not noticed the door lock? Were you have a sing-song or something?" she laughed, snorting at the idea of them singing along to The Space Girls' new single - What The Hell Do You Think You Are. They both smiled to the floor.

"Not exactly," Sabé replied quietly. Padmé rolled her eyes, and then headed for her quarters on ship.

"I'm going to get my 'Padmé the handmaiden' robes back on - it will be safer that way," she said, turning to stride up a ramp to the royal quarters.

"I'll join you," Sabé called to her. Padmé turned her head to see her rush to Panaka, who had manoeuvred to stand by the pilot's cock-pit and watch the view. She saw her touch his fore-arm and lean close to him, and then quickly straighten up to race behind her. With one eye-brow raised, she continued up the ramp to get dressed into something less conspicuous.

Her thoughts returned to Obi-Wan, only this time they were much more hopeful thoughts. Sabé and Panaka knew where he was being kept - that meant she could possibly get there and sneak in.

_Don't worry, Obi-Wan_, she thought to herself - and to Obi-Wan. _It's my turn to look out for _you_ this time._

_I'll get you out of there_

...

_I promise_

...

* * *

readers: i'm soooo sorry i've taken so long to update this! basically i got a new laptop in september (a long time ago now, i know!) but i had started drafts for the next chapters on my old computer, and i'm yet to transfer everything

plus, the monitor for my old computer is now playing up, so it's a slow process!

don't worry - padmé WILL save obi-wan! lol


	6. Chapter 6

People of Earth - I** have returned** with tidings of **fan-fiction** and **obidala**!

Massive apologies for the loooong delay - for all those of you who have been so patiently waiting (or most likely, those of you who have completely forgotten due to my lack of time-keeping and updating) I thank you!

I just hope this long awaited 6th chapter is not a disappointment!

Read on if you wish …

* * *

_That's strange. The first time I counted there were 500 bricks … this time there are 501 … curious …_

Obi-Wan stood still, surrounded by glowing electric bars in a cylindrical cellar in the centre of a prison cell, focusing on the brickwork around the door.

For three hours he had been standing alone, his wrists bound in iron chains and his feet magnetically stuck to the floor. But one hour was time long enough for Qui-Gon to contact him through the force. He had received worried messages, requesting that they reconvene immediately.

But for the whole hour he had been stood motionless, the only human being on his mind was Padmé. She had no idea where she was.

At that moment, just as he was about to summon the Force and try yet again to contact her, the metal door through to his prison cell was flung open, revealing two armour-clad figures standing in the doorway.

As they strode in, the light hitting their armour, Obi-Wan saw that one was old and frail, the other tall and blundering. They both sneered at him as they grew nearer.

"Well, well," croaked the older one, his huge nose casting a shadow across his face, "so this is the famous Jedi. The one banged up 'cause he couldn't keep his hands off the Queen of Naboo."

Obi-Wan's shoulders stiffened, and his lip curled. "That's a filthy lie," he hissed. "You wouldn't understand the full story even if you tried."

The older guard's lop-sided smirk dropped, and he stepped closer to the cell, inspecting his less-than-comfortable prisoner. "Oh, I understand, alright. I understand that a young man like you, chosen to protect the galaxy and those innocent life forms within it, has turned out to be nothing more than a mangy commoner. Do you enjoy leering over young girls? Are you proud of yourself for luring an innocent girl into your perverted grasp?" The guard tilted his head from side to side in a mocking fashion as he spoke.

Obi-Wan was outraged. "_What?! _That's _ludicrous!_ Padmé has not been hurt! I would never _dream_ of--"

"Save your perverse _dreams_ for someone who cares," the guard cut in, waving a hand and turning around. The bulkier guard followed suit. "There's only one place for people like you - and it's right here - rotting away in this dungeon."

When he reached the door and raised the latch, he threw Obi-Wan one last jagged-toothed grin. "Save your breath. You'll need it." And with that, the door was slammed shut, and Obi-Wan was all alone again.

_So that's what everyone outside of here is thinking,_ he concluded, bitterly, _that I'm some perverted old fool._ His stomach dropped a notch as he pictured people's faces. Qui-Gon's expression of shock and disappointment; Mace Windu and Yoda's shaking heads of disapproval; the young Anakin Skywalker's look of confusion and misunderstanding. The look on Padmé's face if she ever thought those were Obi-Wan's initial intentions.

He shook his head firmly. Padmé would not believe that. She would not even begin to contemplate such a suggestion. He wondered where she was.

He hoped she was save. He prayed she was not risking her life running after him. He did not feel worthy of her protection. After all, _he _was the one who ought to protect _her_.

He tried desperately to contact her through the Force, but the walls of the cell did not allow any thought, feeling or message to escape the room. Instead, it soaked all negative energy and miserable messages inwards, clouding Obi-Wan's mind and judgement. It almost felt as if the room was getting smaller and smaller.

He did a double-take. The room _was_ getting smaller. The walls were closing in on Obi-Wan's cell, and the ceiling was hovering lower and lower. He looked around in alarm. How could solid metal bricks be moving?!

Then, from the ceiling, a bizarre metal funnel emerged, pointing right down on Obi-Wan's head. He looked up at it, into the dark inside of the funnel, and squinted. He half expected some boiling molten liquid, or a lazer to come shooting out. Yet appeared to be empty.

Utterly befuddled, Obi-Wan peered around again to see the cell and stop decreasing, and now left barely five feet around his imprisonment cage, rather than five metres as before.

_Expect the unexpected,_ he told himself firmly. Bracing himself for something nasty to fall down on him. Instead, something began whirring and clunking from within the funnel, and a strange sucking sound commenced, like a broken vacuum cleaner.

After two minutes of the incessant noise, Obi-Wan felt a dull, limp feeling inside his head. He became aware of a light-headed feeling, and felt his thoughts thicken further. He tried, yet again, to reach for the Force, but he was mentally stretching out through thick, dark fog.

It suddenly jolted in his mind. The air inside the cellar was thinning. His memory clicked into gear with the diminishing energy he held.

"Save your breath. _You'll need it_," the guard had said.

Now it made sense.

All the oxygen within the cell was being sucked out. At the back of his mind Obi-Wan was alarmed. Surely _death _was not his punishment?

But he was growing increasingly woozy. His images before of people's disappointed faces, and his nightmarish thoughts of Padmé perishing spiralling around him, until he lifted his chained hands to cup his face in a bleary despair.

_Padmé … _he thought, idly. Though he knew she could not hear him.

Nobody could hear him. Few probably knew where he was at all.

And only a select few were aware of him drowning in a vacuumed cell.

He felt his consciousness slip away.

The Force could not save him.

It had betrayed him.

Just as long as that one special person did not.

_Padmé … I need you_

_Padmé … where am I?_

_Where are you?_

…

* * *

Duh-du-DUUUHHHH!!!!


	7. Chapter 7

Padmé, Sabé, Panaka and the crew had been travelling aimlessly in space for four hours, and many had grown tired and impatient.

Ric Olie re-emerged from the cock-pit and sat down by Panaka. "With all due respect," he began, "where are we actually heading?"

Panaka and Sabé looked at each other nervously.

"Well …" began Sabé, now looking at Padmé, who was beginning to look like she was losing faith in their planning skills.

Panaka held up a hand in what he trusted was a reassuring way. "Don't worry, Olie, just keep above the atmosphere and don't stray to far away from the planet."

Olie scratched his head. "Uh, pardon me, captain, but those are quite contradictory orders. At that rate we'd all be frying up in the atmosphere."

"Well we aren't going to let that happen, _are we_?" he looked sternly at the pilot. Ric Olie sighed and shrugged, before returning back to his team of pilots at the control panels.

"He's right though," Padmé piped up all of a sudden. "We have no idea where we're going. Obi-Wan could be anywhere, and anything could be happening to him!" She ran her fingers through her hair. She paused, then looked firmly at Sabé and Panaka.

"Remind me again how the whole of Coruscant found out, again," she watched them both shuffle in their seats.

In truth, they both felt guilty about the entire situation. But each time they told and retold Padmé the story, they carefully left out the part where Sabé broke down and jumped on Panaka, and deliberately left out the details of when and where they discussed the whole dilemma. Either way, Padmé was growing impatient.

"I still don't see how anybody could have over heard. And further more, there shouldn't have been anything to over hear in the first place," she glared at Panaka. He looked affronted.

"Now hold up, now," he sat up straight, "it's not entirely our fault we are all in the trouble we are. This whole thing was a group effort."

"But you and Sabé," Padmé threw her a heated glare, "were the only ones who could have spoken about it out in the open. I've seen nothing of Obi-Wan since we were on this cruiser," she got up and strode to the windows of the ship, "and I'm not likely to be seeing any more of him in the near future, since he is locked away," her voice began to rise, "and we are miles in the sky going nowhere over and over again!" She slumped onto a seat by the window and sighed.

"Well, nobody forced him to climb on top of you," Panaka muttered. Sabé's eyes widened at him, and Padmé's head snapped to face him.

"_What _did you just say?" she barked. Sabé stood up quickly.

"He didn't say anything!" she laughed nervously, "he's just tired. We all are. I think we need to get some sleep."

"How can anyone sleep while Obi-Wan is locked away!" Padmé chocked, as a vision of Obi-Wan alone in the dark behind bars, weary and tired made her throat close up.

"There we go again! Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan, _Obi-Wan_!" He finally stood up. "Your Highness, he is the irresponsible young adult in this."

"Oh, and what am I? Just a little girl?"

"Compared to him? Yes! In fact, he's not just an adult. He's a _Jedi_. He should have known better in the first place." He began to pace up and down.

"Oh, okay. So I had no say in this? I'm Queen of Naboo, and yet I suddenly have no common sense, direction or responsibility?" Padmé was on her feet as well, her hands on her hips and her eyes wide and shining.

"Your Highness, please," Sabé stammered.

"Don't "Your Highness" me, Sabé," she held a hand up, "we are finally getting somewhere. Obi-Wan and I share something special. This is about both of us, not just him. I'm not a child, just in case you hadn't noticed, _Captain_, so don't tell me I have no responsibility." She folded her arms and returned her vision to the starry view.

"Well, while we're on the subject, we all may as well face the facts. Your "responsibility" since this whole stupid fling started has lead you from bad to worse. You're right, you _are_ the Queen of Naboo. You are Queen of an entire _planet,_ for Sith sake! Why didn't you _act_ like one?"

Padmé's mouth fell open. "I beg your pardon? Are you under the seriously delusional impression that this is the appropriate way for a captain to speak to the Queen of Naboo?"

"Well forgive me, Your Highness, but Sabé and I have done the best we can in a terrible situation. All you have done is swan around with the Senate. You've done nothing to help Obi-Wan at all!"

The ship fell silent. Apparently all of the crew had been eves dropping, since several heads had shown up from behind the walls of the ship, and were watching on, some in horror, some concerned, and one or two rather entertained.

"That's not true," she whispered.

"That Palpatine! He is not to be trusted!" said Panaka firmly. Sabé nodded earnestly. "Sabé and I believe that he-"

"Sabé and I? Since when did you two suddenly become a team?" she narrowed her eyes at the two of them. She had noticed they had been acting strange since she got on board, like they were keeping a secret underneath the surface.

Panaka hesitated for a moment under her daze. "Nothing," he grunted. Sabé heaved a sigh.

"Your Highness," her voice gave a tremor. "You and Obi-Wan Kenobi are not the only two to discover something special." She took his hand, and he gripped it in response.

Padmé's eyebrows shot up so far they almost hit her hairline. "Oh. Oh I see. The _dutiful_, _honourable, responsible_ captain has been distracted all this time by a young handmaiden." She shook her head at Sabé. "That is unbelievable."

"Your Highness, please try to understand, we never meant for-"

"Who ever means for these things to happen, Sabé?" Padmé cried. "The fact of the matter is, as far as your Queen is concerned: Captain Panaka and yourself should have been focused solely on keeping mine and Obi-Wan's secret just that: _secret_. When all this time, you've been doing the very thing you disapproved of from Obi-Wan and I!"

Her eyes welled up with tears, and her eyes became the size of meteors.

"And now, he is locked away, prison bound and potentially awaiting death because of _you two_!" tears now began to spill from her cheeks. Everything that had been running so smoothly only hours ago was now falling apart!

"Oh, Your Highness, no!" cried Sabé, her eyes also glistening with tears. "No, no, that's not what happened at all!" She ran towards Padmé and reached for her hand, but she snatched it away.

"All this time you've been my handmaiden - my friend! And you cannot keep just one secret from me? What next? The whole galaxy will know I've been using a queen decoy!"

Sabé glanced at Panaka. He let his head fall into his hands.

"Your Highness, I think it's safe to say we are all to blame, here," he said, calmer this time. "But one thing is for certain, you cannot trust-"

"You. I cannot trust you two anymore." A big fat tear dropped from down her eye and ran along her cheek. "I want Obi-Wan. I _need _him." Sabé dapped her eyes with the corner of her sleeve. "And only now I realise that you two have made things worse. You let our secret out, you broke the promise, and now …" she sighed, "I'll never see Obi-Wan again."

Sabé began silently sobbing. Panaka put an arm around her. Padmé gave the two of them one final look of bitter disappointment, before making her swift silent way to the cock pit. "Ric Olie, please land my ship. I'm going to find Obi-Wan on my own."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

Sure enough, the ship broke back through Coruscant's atmosphere, back to the swirling flashing city lights, which were fading as dawn approached, and found an empty landing platform.

As the ship touched down, Sabé pulled Panaka aside. "She cannot trust Palpatine!" she breathed. "He will spill lie after lie! He's a _Sith Lord_!"

"I know, but she does not want our help anymore, Sabé," he replied grimly, before pulling her into him. "But that's not to say that Obi-Wan does not want our help." She looked up at Panaka through watery eyes. "Maybe if we can't make it up to Padmé, maybe we can make it up to Obi-Wan." He kept a hold of Sabé and she buried her face into him. "Maybe we can over throw Palpatine."

"Maybe," said a croaking old voice. Panaka and Sabé both shot their eyes towards the opening entrance, and their hearts dropped to their stomachs as they saw Senator Palpatine and two heavily armed guards in metallic armour stood before them. "Take them away."

The two guards darted up the ramp into the cruiser and seized the two lovers before they could get away. Palpatine made his swift way aboard the ship, disregarding the snarl of utter contempt from Panaka, and the gasp of complete disbelieve and outrage from Sabé, and found Padmé instantly around the corner. She had redressed as her official role as Queen of Naboo, with a shakily painted face and slightly off-centre jewellery.

"Now then, Your Highness, I believe we have had quite enough of this nonsense." He held out an arm. "Now, you are going to come with me, and we are going to arrange a suitable agreement to sort out this … tragedy." Silently and obediently, Padmé took his arm and she let him lead her off the cruise, where two more guards arrived to escort them back into the centre of the city to Palpatine's apartment.

"Padmé, no! You're making a _huge mistake!_" Sabé coughed through a broken sob. "Pad-Ow!" A gloved fist found her face, making an attempt to quieten her.

"Hey!" Panaka shouted gruffly, "Don't you touch her!"

With a heavy heart and dry, sore eyes, Padmé left the sounds of Panaka and Sabé putting up a determined fight behind her, and carried on along to their taxi cruiser.

The dawn may have cast a pink sheen over the city

…

But the mood was black.


	8. Chapter 8

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan's prison cell had expanded back its normal size, so as to accommodate some visitors. Qui-Gon Jinn, Mace Windu and Master Yoda both stood before him, their expressions tainted with slight confusion, betrayal, and above all, disappointment.

Obi-Wan could only look at them all for a few seconds, before his heavy heart led his eyes to the floor of his cell.

"Why, Obi-Wan, why?" asked Qui-Gon, gently.

"Please; divulge your story." Mace Windu bore a much harder face, his brow low and his mouth thin and down turned. "I'd like to know what led you to make such a brash decision in the first place, being fully aware of what the Jedi laws entail."

Yoda said nothing, he simply stood still, trying to read Obi-Wan. For once, the Force was not sending him a clear message. But the Force knows no emotion. The Force, regrettably but evidently, did not know love.

"I'm sorry, Master," Obi-Wan croaked. Qui-Gon merely raised his eyebrows and closed his eyes. "I cannot explain what came over me."

"I sensed something was on your mind the day we landed here on Coruscant," he began slowly, "But I could never had guessed, or even sensed, that it was …" he trailed off, then shook his head. "_Why_?" Obi-Wan hung his head limply. "We need answers, Obi-Wan, or we can never sort this out."

Yoda finally twitched his ears and spoke, asking Obi-Wan a question he was not quite expecting. "Why this Queen of Naboo?" Obi-Wan looked up. "Why, to this girl, did you go?" His head tilted side-ways as he surveyed the Padawan.

"I - I don't know," he answered, practically puzzled. Mace Windu rolled his eyes, looking exceedingly angry.

"The Force, was it?" Yoda enquired.

"Well, yes, I suppose …" Obi-Wan replied slowly. "All did was follow my instinct. It some how led me to her." After all the torment of being trapped in the cellar for hours, he was surprised by how calm and level-headed his answers were.

"A connection, you had?" Yoda asked after a pause. Obi-Wan nodded. "I see."

"Whatever it was, it was a horrendous breaching of the Jedi Laws," Mace Windu glowered, his nostrils flaring indignantly. But Obi-Wan did not hear him. He was replaying their moments in his head. He could not help but smile, regardless of the Jedi masters standing before him.

"It … it was not so much me coming straight to her. I heard her, or maybe even, _felt _her calling me. We both reached to each other … and found each other," said Obi-Wan quietly.

"Curious," Yoda's ears rose and his eyes gazed up to the ceiling, all of a sudden deep in thought.

"Ridiculous, more like," Mace Windu sniffed. "All this emotion, all this frivolity, all these thoughtless, meaningless _feelings_." Obi-Wan looked up, his brow furrowing at the Jedi Master, and Qui-Gon and Yoda both gave him their full attention. "There's no room for such things in the Force. At least, maybe not on the Light Side." He strode towards Obi-Wan with broad shoulders. "This sounds like the workings of the Dark Side! Letting your fears and emotions take over, are we, Obi-Wan? Are you fuelling your life on greed and _passion_?"

"Master Windu, please," said Qui-Gon, placing a hand on his fore-arm. "I doubt my Padawan has been lured by the Dark Side. I am wondering, perhaps now more than ever, whether this is something outside of the Force." He looked back to Obi-Wan, who was returning him with a look of confusion.

"Something _other than _the _Force_?" Mace Windu quizzed, looking as if Qui-Gon just told him Coruscant was flat, and that the sky was pink and green.

"Go on, Master Jinn. Explain, you must," Yoda said, softly.

Qui-Gon took a breath, then stood closer to Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan has not been the first Jedi in the world to be touched by love. And I am certain he will not be the last."

"Love?" snarled Mace Windu. "Why, I've never heard such-"

"Master Windu! Calm, you must be." Yoda's ears flapped indignantly. He returned his wide eyed gaze to Qui-Gon. Mace Windu took a deep breath.

"What I am saying, my Masters, is that …" Qui-Gon strayed off.

"Yes?" asked Mace Windu, an eyebrow now raising with interest.

"Master Qui-Gon?" Yoda quizzed. Qui-Gon tilted his head, still remaining silent.

"Master?" Obi-Wan whispered.

"… Well, what I am saying is …"

The three other Jedi stood with baited breathe, awaiting Qui-Gon's judgement.

"… Obi-Wan and Queen Amidala are in love."

Mace Windu's mouth dropped open slightly, and Yoda's ears rose knowingly.

"No ifs, ands or buts. Obi-Wan is love. And I don't think there's anything you or I, the Senate, or the power of the Force itself can do about it." Qui-Gon looked Obi-Wan right in the eye. Obi-Wan's mouth also dropped in spite of himself, shocked at how accurate Qui-Gon's reasoning was.

"But he's a _Jedi_. It's not allowed." Mace Windu shook his head.

"But it's done," Qui-Gon said simply. "The Force saw this love to be done."

Mace Windu looked to the floor, still feverishly shaking his head. "I still don't understand."

Yoda closed his eyes as Qui-Gon went on.

"This is not the mere foolish fling of an ordinary young man and woman. This is the Queen of a planet, and one, if I may say," he flashed a glance at a nervy Obi-Wan, "potentially incredible Jedi. We all know there is no such thing as pure coincidence. There is too much coincidence for it to be one. Such special people could not just meet together out of nowhere. Obi-Wan said himself," the three free standing Jedi now stared up at him, "he was led to her. This was a combination of true, undying love _and _the Force."

"That Obi-Wan and Queen Amidala must be together, _dictates_, the Force does," Yoda nodded.

Obi-Wan stood silently, a sudden surge of over-whelming respect for his Master and Yoda over-coming him.

"Are you both saying," Mace Windu rubbed his forehead, "that true love and the Force combined to bring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Queen Amidala of Naboo together … because they were …?"

There was silence for a second, before Obi-Wan finally piped up.

"…meant to be," he concluded. "All I know … is that we were meant to be. And there's something else I know."

The three Jedi exchanged half nervous, half excited expressions, before returning their attention to Obi-Wan once more.

"Someone out there is trying to tear us apart."

"Your senses serve you well, my young Padawan," said Qui-Gon, "because we - well - Master Yoda and I, have reason to believe that this is where the Sith come into the situation."

Obi-Wan's temperature dropped. "How? _Who_?"

"Search your feelings" was his Master's reply.

Obi-Wan shut his eyes and concentrated hard. The Force was present now, but still weak within the walls of his prison cell. With a heavy heart, he put Padmé to one side to focus on his Master's request. With as much might as he could muster, he summoned the Force. Faces swam before him, but one came forward out of the darkness completely cloak with nothing but two gold eyes, staring long, cold and hard at him. The hood lowered, the eyes turned blue, and the aged face of a senator looked blankly back at him.

Obi-Wan gasped. "Palpatine?" he eventually cried.

Qui-Gon nodded gravely. "It seems we share the same suspicions. The Force is never wrong."

With this sweeping statement, Qui-Gon, Yoda and Mace Windu turned and made for the door.

"May the Force be with you," said Yoda, bowing his head. Mace Windu echoed him, but with a harsher expression. The two of them left, but Qui-Gon lingered for a moment.

"You are not alone in this, Obi-Wan," reassured Qui-Gon. "Through the Force, we can help you. But ultimately, this will be something you and Padmé will have to decide on."

"Decide on?"

"You know what I mean," he replied softly. Obi-Wan knew what he meant; like many of the others, he sensed his master was still hesitant about the idea of a Queen and a Jedi being able to survive while in love, whatever the Force dictated, in the unforgiving world they lived in.

Qui-Gon was about to leave, when Obi-Wan looked up once more.

"One more thing, Master," he said. Their eyes met. "I was told when I was locked up that I was to be left alone. I assumed that meant no visitors. How did you get in?"

Qui-Gon blinked. "Those guards out there," he signalled a hand just outside the door, "they were very weak minded indeed." The flicker of what might have been a faint smile played about Qui-Gon's face.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, but managed a smile as he watched his master leave, and the door close behind him.

He finally felt a glimmer of hope, that he could get out of his wretched cell. He finally felt one step closer to Padmé. It was the only thing that had strengthened him since he arrived in the cell. And now, it had struck a flame within him. He could see her face as clear as day in his head. Her pearly teeth as she smiled, her chestnut curls falling around her rose petal cheeks, her shining eyes teasing through her carbon lashes. He could hear her say his name. "Obi-Wan," he heard her sigh.

"Obi-Wan?"

"_Obi-Wan_!"

His head shot up. He did not imagine that. He stood right up to the bars around him and gripped them tight.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Who goes there? No-one passes this do-" he recognised the voice of the guard who had mocked him earlier, then heard the unmistakeable "thwomp" of metal hitting bone. There was something going on behind the door! Fighting!

"Who's there?" he shouted.

The door to the prison burst open, and two armed and helmeted guards ran in. They skidded to a halt right in front of the bars that separated Obi-Wan from the rest of the world.

The taller guard lifted his helmet. Obi-Wan's jaw dropped.

"This … is a _rescue_!"

"Obi-Wan, we're getting you out of here!" the second guard removed their helmet.

"Panaka? Sabé?" said Obi-Wan, weakly. "How did you - what in the Sith is - where's Pad-"

"No time to explain!" hissed Panaka, as Sabé jumped up and ran a lazer key across the bars of the cell. The bars materialised away, and Obi-Wan jumped down onto the stone floor. "Let's get _out of here_!"

The three of them raced out of the door, leapt over the motionless bodies of the real guards and bolted down the dark corridor. The voices of more guards could be heard echoing from behind, but there was no time to stop and look. All Obi-Wan knew to do was run!

Letting the Force finally flow through him freely, he sensed the right way to turn and shot down every curving corridor and corner like he had charged through them all his life, leading Panaka and Sabé out of the back exit, through the secret passage underneath the prison and out into open air.

As the cool, city air hit Obi-Wan's face, he gained a new lease of life. Now he could breathe properly, there was only one person on his mind; there was only one more person left to save - _Padmé_.

_If you can hear me, Padmé, I'm coming!_ He willed the Force to carry his message to her.

_Hear me, Padmé!_

…

_I'm coming … !_


	9. Chapter 9

There was something, or someone, standing in the way of Obi-Wan and Padmé, alright! Whilst Obi-Wan had been stranded in the prison cell, Palpatine had been sitting contently in his own cruiser, with Padmé at his side, completely at ease and satisfied with the whole situation. He could feel the Force surging as Obi-Wan tried to connect, but his mouth curled into the faintest of smiles, quite confidently in the knowledge that anything the Jedi could do - he could do better.

On the long journey back to Palpatine's apartment, she continuously threw him looks of suspicion and confusion. She could not imagine the man who had helped her and Naboo so many times in the past could be a mass murderer and calculating villain. She felt sorry for the words exchanged between her and Panaka and Sabé, but she felt she needed to take control and fulfil the mission on her own, certain that, on this occasion, they had both been extremely mistaken. He was just an old man, after all. She still no idea about what he could possible do - or what he was doing at that very moment - all she had to go by was the disturbing twinkle darkening his steely blue eyes.

Palpatine saw her watching him, and forced a thin smile. "Give it time, Your Highness. You were right to leave your foolish friends. They have been the bane of your problem since the beginning." He gazed idly out of the window of the ship. Padmé bit her lip, and kept her eyes on her lap until the ship landed.

"Your Highness," murmured a guard, and ushered her along and into the elevating lift with Palpatine. She snuck a last glance at him, but she could not decipher his expression.

Once they were both in the apartment, two guards positioned themselves outside the door, and left the Queen and the Senator alone.

He cleared his throat pointedly. "I should just let you know, Your Highness, the Trade Federation will not be moving out of Naboo anytime soon," he looked gravely at her, but she could not ignore the glint of something unusual in his eye. "It appears since your affairs with the Jedi Kenobi have leaked, they intent to make more of an example of Naboo than usual."

"Under who's control?" she asked with an empty voice.

"I'm sorry?"

"The Trade Federation, to be frank, are a bunch of total and utter idiots," Palpatine frowned at her, taken back by her bold statement. "They do not think or act deeply. They would quite easily follow someone else's instructions if they knew they could get something out of it." She looked up at him. "What are the chances there's an insider involved?"

He cleared his throat once more. "There's only one person giving orders right now." Padmé saw the glimmer of mystery in his eye once more.

"And that is to be you, isn't it?" Padmé sighed and twiddled her fingers nervously. "This is not how I imagined a change of governing powers. I'd hoped that removing Chancellor Valorum from the equation the Trade Federation would back down and leave Naboo in peace, but nothing has changed! I - you," she swallowed, and looked wide-eyed at Palpatine, "I had had hoped you would make a difference, see change to be done, see peace out, see justice -" she broke off, careful not to divulge too many of her worries.

Palpatine stood up straight and smoothed down his robes. "I have been appointed as Chancellor, so I must follow the rules correctly for the sake of not just one planet, but for the whole Republic, Your Highness. Now I have power, I cannot simply abuse it and break the rules." Padmé stiffened. "Things must be done _properly_." He spoke to her as if she were a small child. A cold sensation crept over her.

She stood up and looked out of the window, like she always did when she came to Coruscant, hoping the view would massage her fraying nerves. But the sky scrapers and whooshing ships just stared unhelpfully back at her.

"And I must say, on the subject of power, I offer you _thanks_," he strode over to the window smartly, "if it hadn't been for you, and your somewhat _charming_ notion to remove Valorum for his lack of confidence, and subsequently leave space for me to fill his position, I would never have been able to help in the first place."

"Help?" repeated Padmé, quietly.

"Help the people of the Republic," he replied smoothly.

"I called for the vote of no confidence because it was what you _suggested_. I could not stand there let the high powers leave Naboo in the state it was, and I trusted your decision. I trusted _you_." She made to face him properly. Her mask of make-up could not hide her newly simmering irritation.

"Be reasonable, Your Highness, I did not force you into making your choice. You did it all on your own. it's not like I," he paused, a bizarre expression on his twisting face, as if he were chewing something delicious and sticky, "oh, I don't know, took over your _mind_ and overhauled your thoughts."

"You have the power to make change," she cut in bluntly. "And yet you have not changed a thing. You can see what is happening to Naboo. You can see the pain my people and I are in. If you had the courage of your convictions, you would fulfil your promises. I don't understand why you are behaving like this!"

"Be rational, Your Highness," he rolled his eyes.

"But you said you would solve things, Senator-"

"_Chancellor_," he muttered under his breath as the pace of Padmé's voice quickened.

"-You said you would fix things - how is this _fixing_ things?"

"You've made your choice, I'm afraid, Your Highness. All it comes down to now, is what you value more: the planet you rule," he paused, his mouth forming a crooked smile, "or the man you love."

He turned.

Padme felt the blood drain from her face. She looked into Palpatine's old, lined face.

"What?" she replied, her voice shaking with shock.

"Did you really think I didn't know the _whole time_?" He stepped closer, "Did you really think I couldn't see inside your mind the moment you landed on Coruscant? I could not let a story like this pass me, or the entire Senate, by." Padmé's eyes did not dare stray away. Her heart began to thump hard inside her chest. Every inch of her was now ice cold. Palpatine took a step towards her. She instinctively took a step back. _So this is how they found out! Panaka and Sabé were right all this time!_

"I can no longer pretend that I don't know what your heart ache is all about. I can no longer stand by and let you …" He looked around, searching half-heartedly for the right turn of phrase, " … go on unpunished for your foolish crimes … this heinous affair."

"What? I - how _dare _you! I - what are you _saying?_" she gabbled.

Palpatine's eyebrows rose, emphasising the creases in his forehead. "I'm saying that your current position as Queen of Naboo is balancing on a fine line." He began pacing around her in a vulture-like fashion, eyeing Padmé as his newly captured prey. "Your crown depends on your own choices, now."

"Are you _enjoying_ this?" she breathed incredulously.

"I am some what _amused _and ever so slightly _baffled _by the whole situation." He shrugged. "What I do know is that you face a compromise." He breathed in. "By leaving Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi to rot in the dungeons where he no doubt belongs, your loyalty to your planet will be recognised, and I, as Chancellor, will face very little difficulties seeing Naboo become a peaceful planet once more."

Padmé's lips parted, and she blinked several times. She could not quite register the situation she was in.

"However, should you chose to side with Kenobi, your loyalty and duty to your planet will be questioned, and most likely ridiculed and disregarded, and Naboo's current situation will be prolonged, and no doubt worsen." He looked at Padmé, like he was looking down at a naughty little girl. "And I will not do a thing."

"Because you won't be able to … or because you simply wouldn't _want_ to?" she whispered. She couldn't believe that all justice; giving Obi-Wan a fair trial, the treaty Amedda was clearly misguided on, was no longer credible. Palpatine's whole performance during the last Senate meeting had been a total and utter façade.

"I admit, I would indeed view the situation as a matter of principle. I would not want to be seen abusing my power as Chancellor by allowing you a peaceful planet and a Jedi lover on the side as well." He took a step closer to her.

Her head shook slowly and involuntarily.

"But that is not to say I couldn't give you back both your planet and your Jedi. In actually fact, I could do it quite easily. With the power I now have, organising it would not be a problem. It would simply be down to the price."

"The price?"

"Precisely." His eyebrows raised, and his eyes widened.

"Well, Naboo's economy is unsettled at the moment, but, of course I would find the money some how, I care for Naboo, I care for …" she felt uncomfortable expelling all her feelings in front of Palpatine. "I could not allow Obi-Wan to be sentenced to a dark death in a dungeon. I would find the money myself if it meant allowing him to walk freely. I don't know what I would do if he-"

"Your Royal Highness, you misunderstand me. I do not need your money. As Chancellor, great wealth is guaranteed. Nothing you could give me would alter my salary much." His voiced lowered. "I was thinking along slightly different lines. I mean to say …"

He walked away from Padmé and watched over the city skyline once more. "… If you willingly offer yourself to a _Jedi_ without much persuasion …"

Padmé's eyebrows lowered, and a sickening feeling emerged in the pit of her stomach "…maybe you wouldn't mind dishing out the same services once more … to ensure the freedom of your Naboo and your precious Obi-Wan Kenobi." He gave her an angular side-ways smile, and raised an eyebrow.

"_What_?"

Her mind subconsciously rewound to earlier on:

"_Well, feel free to stay in my guest suite until the morning, Your Majesty,"_

…

"_I have just been charged for having a supposed affair with a Jedi … I don't think stepping out of an _older senator's _apartment early in the morning in the same clothes as I was wearing the night before will exactly improve my image, _will it_?"_

"Oh, surely you would give _anything_ to see your planet safe and secure? Not to mention the wellbeing of Obi-Wan Kenobi? You can't get something for nothing, you know. Particularly a demand as outlandish and extraordinary as yours." His voice was growing even more slippery and oily. "Isn't that worth all the jewels and money in the _galaxy?_ To ensure the safety of what is dearest to you? After all, as Queen you should naturally give _anything_ to see your people come out of this alive. And you should be seen to be giving something back for all the Senate's trouble taken to see Naboo settled. And if you thought Obi-Wan Kenobi would come out of this alive for nothing…" he chuckled. "No. You would have to pay for his freedom."

"And," Padmé croaked, "and what if I refuse to give you what you want? To see Obi-Wan survive?"

"Your people will die," he replied flatly.

"And if I give nothing … and ask nothing …?"

"Obi-Wan will die," he said softly, his eyes lowering.

Padmé's knees gave way and she fell down, her back hitting the window as she felt herself descend slowly to the ground. She flung her hand to her mouth, as she sobbed uncontrollably.

A nerve twitched in Palpatine's face as he watched her crying. He walked over to her once more. He held his arms before her, and put both hands on her shoulders by means of standing her up.

Furiously she fought him off. "Do _not touch me!_" she cried angrily.

Palpatine stood up quickly. "Oh, grow up!" he spat. "Do not be so _pathetic_! Do you really think I have asked for what I have through some twisted, molly-coddling _feelings_ or _attraction_ for you? I think you are nothing but a silly little girl, not fit or emotionally stable to rule Naboo! But you want something. _I _want something." He suddenly began laughing. "Why don't you just pretend I am your precious _Obi-Wan_?" He cackled harshly, looking right at her.

In spite of her tears, she brought her face out of her palms and looked back at Palpatine, like she was seeing him for the first time. Her face creased, her eyes narrowed and she stood up with a blazing expression. "You _filthy, twisted, evil-!_" She cut off and lunged at him, her anger firing through.

She flung up her hands, gripped onto Palpatine's neck, and shook him furiously. "He is a million times the man you will ever be!" she shouted.

"And what makes you think I am nothing but a man?" he bellowed. He flung her aside, and she hit the ground. "I am not just Chancellor Palpatine!" He reached for the hood at the back of his robes, and lifted it up. His voice changed. "I am Darth Sidious."

Padmé stared at him.

"Guards! Take her away!"

Out of nowhere, men in armoured suits swarmed and grabbed her.

"_No! Get off me!_"

"Consider this your final decision made, Your Highness! Have no fear, the Senate would eventually see Naboo freed sooner or later, whether I offered them my time and patience or not! But I will not, I repeated, _not_, see that worthless, incredulous Jedi brought back from behind bars until he is no longer a breathing, scheming Jedi, but a _rotting corpse_!"

"_NO!_"

"I said take her out of here!" he yelled.

Her desperate calls echoed through the corridor. She screamed and cried to no prevail.

"No! …

…

… _Obi-Wan!"_

_

* * *

_

_Exciting stuff, no? ;-)_


	10. Chapter 10

Little did Padmé know, Obi-Wan was relatively safe from harm, perched in what he hoped was an inconspicuous way on a lumpy stool with Panaka and Sabé on one side and R2D2 on the other, in the 'Bounty Bar' down a dark, unkempt alleyway. Other than a drunk Wookie persuing the bar-tender, two red Rutian girls whispering and giggling around a table in the corner of the bar, one snout-nosed Gamorrean sitting singing to himself, and the 'Mon Calamari Mooners' churning out an off-key version of 'The Ewok Dolls - Don't Cha (Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hairy Like Me)' in the background, they were quite alone.

All the same, he gripped his cup of Bespin Bacardi uneasily. R2D2 beeped dolefully at him. The two of them turned to see Panaka and Sabé constantly glancing and smirking at each other, taking it in turns to playfully poke each other and tap one another's noses. He consoled himself with the fact that they had consumed too much Laser Liquid, and turned back to stare aimlessly at the back of the bar, struggling to read half of what was on all the kaleidoscopic bottles.

By the time the music had changed to 'I Don't Eat A Man', the Wookie was rolling around on the floor demanding another drink, the Gamorrean was dancing with the Rutian girls on the raised stage, and Panaka and Sabé were locked at the lips, Obi-Wan slammed his cup down.

"Far be it from me to state the obvious," he said loudly, causing Panaka and Sabé to break apart with alarm, "but what are we going to do about Padmé?"

Sabé bit her swollen lip dubiously. "Oh, what do you think, Pancake?" she swivelled back to Panaka, twirling her hair around her finger.

He guffawed. "Beats me." He reached for his bottle and downed the last of his 'X-Wing Zing' in one gulp. "I say we wait until morning. That old Senator Palpitations won't be going any-soon any time-where. It's the Queen of England I'm worried about."

Sabé sighed melodramatically, gazing at Panaka in awe. "You're so clever!" she cooed.

Obi-Wan cringed. He pushed his cup aside. A drunk captain and handmaiden and a droid were not going to get him anywhere very quickly. He looked behind him, only to turn away in horror, having seen the Wookie throwing up over the xylo-board one of the band members was playing.

"Guys! We're running out of time!" he moaned. R2D2 whirled, a red light flashing angrily on his dome. He wheeled across to where Panaka sat slumping on his stool, protruded a metal rod with a flash spike, and pricked him.

"Youch!" he shouted, receiving an electric shock from R2D2. "Dumb droid!" Another rod came out of R2D2, this time with a spinning razor-disc. Sabé shuffled her swinging legs out of the way.

"Looks like R2's had a bit too much!" she laughed loudly, waving her arms and leaning back. She leaned too far and landing on Obi-Wan. "Whoopsie! Oh, hello Obi-Wan!"

He rolled her eyes at her, looking down on her flushed, upside down face, her pupils wide and wild. He couldn't help but think she looked just a tad like Padmé for a moment, as she stayed there with her head on his lap, gazing drunkenly into middle distance.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan was hit with inspiration like an electric zap from R2. _This is Padmé's decoy. She'll know almost everything Padmé knows. Our answer has been in front of us all this time!_

He shot up from his seat, causing Sabé to slide to the ground with a "woohoo!" and R2D2 to beep with surprise.

"Sabé, Panaka, _get up_!" he ordered. "We're catching ourselves a flight to Naboo."

"Hey, what?" Panaka rubbed his head. "I thought you wanted to find your Padmé!"

"_Padmé, Padmé, Pad Mad Padmé_" Sabé sang from the floor.

"And we will. But it's clear this fight cannot be won on Coruscant. We've got to do it on her home turf." He lifted Sabé by her arm pits and stood her up straight. "Pancake! I mean - Panaka! Can you remember where her cruiser was parked?"

"First door on your left - you can't miss it," he mumbled, still massaging his forehead.

"Okay … R2! Can you recall?"

The droid beeped and whirled excitedly at Obi-Wan.

"Fantastic! Folks, let's go!" He hooked one arm around Sabé and the other around Panaka. "Let's go!"

"_Here we go, here we go, here we go_!" they both sang.

"_Here we go, here we go, here we go-o!_" the drunken inhabitants of the 'Bounty Bar' chorused in reply.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, but let Panaka and Sabé wave them off one last time, before yanking them through the doors, back down the alley, avoiding the broken glass and the system-addled protocol droid that was folded up in a corner holding on of its broken arms and muttering to itself, and headed back into the open streets.

"R2, locate the ship and calculate the quickest route to it as fast as you can!" he ordered.

"Beep, beep, whirl!" R2D2 replied.

"But before we take off," he added, lowering the tone of his voice, "I need to record a message for you to send. An important one."

"Beep bip-beep?" the droid enquired.

"No," Obi-Wan whispered.

"Whi-irl?"

…

"Senator Palpatine!"

…


End file.
